The 

Renaissance 
of  Judaism 


A  Senes;of  Sermons 

by 

Rabbi  Joseph  Silverman,  D.D. 


Bloch  Publishing  Company 
NEW  YORK 

1918 


The 

Renaissance 
of  Judaism 


A  Series  of  Sermons 

by 

Rabbi  Joseph  Silverman,  D.D. 


BLOCH  PUBLISHING  CO. 
NEW  YORK 

1918 


3S3LF 

.URL 


fiit 


DEDICATED 
TO    THE     MEMORY    OF 

REV.  DR.  GUSTAV  GOTTHEIL 

RABBI    OF  TEMPLE   EMANU-EL 
1873--19O3 


Sf;lF 
Annex  p'm  ' 

tj  11 U 


THE  RENAISSANCE  OF  JUDAISM 


CONTENTS 


Page 
I     The  Renaissance  of  Judaism  .         .  9 

Preached  on  December  22,  1917 

II     A  Revival  in  Temple  Emanu-El     .         25 

Preached  on  January  5,  1918 

III  Duty  and  Part  of  the  Youth  in  the 

Revival 39 

Preached  on  January  19,  1918 

IV  Shall  We  Surrender  Judaism?         .         55 

Preached  on  February  2,  1918 
V     Revival  of  the  Jewish  Home  .          .         71 

Preached  on  February  16,  1918 

VI     Revival  of  Sabbath  Observance     .         83 

Preached  on  March  2,  1918 

VII     Revival  of  Jewish  Festivals    .         .         97 

Preached  on  March  16,  1918 

VIII     Revival  of  Jewish  Idealism     .          .       .Ill 

Preached  on  April  6,  1918 


THE  RENAISSANCE  OF  JUDAISM 


"The  hand  of  the  Lord  was  upon  me  and  carried  me 
out  in  the  spirit  of  the  Lord,  and  set  me  down  in  the  midst 
of  the  valley  which  was  full  of  bones. 

"And  he  said  unto  me,  Son  of  man,  can  these  bones 
live?  And  I  answered,  O,  Thou  Lord  God,  Thou  knowest. 

"Again  He  said  unto  me,  prophesy  upon  these  bones  and 
say  unto  them,  O,  ye  dry  bones,  hear  the  word  of  the 
Lord! 

"Thus  saith  the  Lord  God  unto  these  bones.  Behold!  I 
will  cause  breath  to  enter  into  you,  and  ye  shall  live. 

"So  I  prophesied  as  He  commanded  me,  and  the  breath 
came  into  them  and  they  lived  and  stood  upon  their  feet, 
an  exceeding  army." 

(Ezekiel  XXXVII,  1,  8,  4,  5,  10.) 

This  is  a  sublime  vision,  portraying  the 
death  and  the  restoration  of  ancient  Israel. 
It  refers  to  the  time  of  Israel's  captivity  in 
Babylon.  Its  national  life  was  gone,  its 
temple  lay  in  ruins,  its  chief  leaders  and 
prophets  were  dead,  discredited  or  dis- 
couraged. Faith  had  given  way  to  despair; 
Jehovah  in  many  instances  had  been  dis- 
placed by  idols.  Both  physical  and  spiritual 
death  had  destroyed  the  nation  and  its  re- 
ligion. 

The  Prophet  Ezekiel  realized  his  im- 
9 


potence  to  arouse  the  people  from  their 
spiritual  lethargy,  and  to  restore  them  to 
their  patrimony.  It  was  quite  natural, 
therefore,  that  he  should  experience  the  vi- 
sion in  which  his  people  seemed  as  lifeless 
and  incapable  of  resuscitation  as  a  valley 
of  dry  bones.  He  had  heard  the  people  say 
of  him,  "Doth  he  not  speak  parables?"  He 
had  seemed  to  them  only  as  one  with  a  pleas- 
ant voice  and  nothing  more.  But  now  he 
was  to  realize  that  he  had  power  to  revive 
dry  bones,  to  resuscitate  the  dead  and  dead- 
ening souls. 

The  vision  of  the  dry  bones  and  the  in- 
terview with  God  are  subjective.  The 
Prophet  really  asks  himself,  "Can  these  dry 
bones,  these  dead  souls  live?  "Can  Israel  be 
revived?  Can  Judaism  be  reborn?"  As  the 
text  says,  "Through  the  voice  of  God,"  the 
thought  came  to  him,  that  as  only  through 
the  spirit  can  the  body  live,  how  much  the 
more  can  the  soul  only  be  revived  through 
the  spirit  of  God. 

The  sequel  is  known  to  students  of  Jew- 
ish history,  that  during  the  reign  of  Cyrus 
Israel  was  permitted  to  return  to  Palestine 

10 


and,  through  the  help  of  Ezra  and  Nehemiah, 
aided  by  the  Prophets  of  the  Exile,  was 
freed  from  its  idols  and  other  forms  of 
heathenism,  and  that  Judaism  was  restored 
to  pristine  power  and  glory. 

There  have  been  several  crises  in  the  de- 
velopment of  Judaism,  crises  that  threatened 
our  ancient  faith  with  extinction.  The  next 
great  breech  occurred  when  Israel  came  into 
contact  with  Greek  culture.  New  and  unex- 
pected conditions  were  presented  to  the  Jew, 
and  his  religion,  as  well  as  his  social  life,  re- 
ceived a  shock  under  which  both  staggered. 
Hellenism,  with  its  touch  of  Occidentalism, 
its  active  life  of  game  and  sports,  and  its 
iconoclastic  tendencies,  marred  the  ancient 
ideals  of  Israel's  religion.  The  conflict  be- 
tween the  old  and  the  new  was  bitterly 
fought  and  ended  in  sects;  the  Sadducees, 
the  Pharisees,  and  Essenes.  But  Judaism 
survived,  for  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  lived  in 
the  hearts  of  the  people  and  sustained  its 
Faith. 

Soon  after  occurred  the  second  downfall 
of  Jerusalem,  and  under  its  ruins  were 
buried  all  that  remained  of  the  ancient  na- 
il 


tional  religious  cult — the  altar,  the  sacrifices, 
and  the  priestly  functions.  Again  the  lead- 
ers of  Israel  saw  the  vision  of  the  field  of 
dry  bones.  But  into  these  bones  was 
breathed  the  spirit  of  God  by  the  new 
Prophet  Jochanon  ben  Saccai.  The  na- 
tionality of  Israel  only  was  destroyed;  its 
zeal  for  the  law  and  enthusiasm  for  the  faith 
lived.  And  this  zeal  rebuilt  schools  and 
synagogues  in  all  parts  of  the  world  and  re- 
established the  House  of  Israel. 

Again  it  was  found  that  there  is  no  death 
where  God  lives.  The  breath  of  divinity  in- 
stills spirituality  in  man  and  restores  his 
manhood,  his  divine  aspirations  and  moral 
excellence.  Many  Jews  were  attracted  to 
Greek  literature  and  philosophy,  and  many 
others  to  Arabian  science,  philosophy  and 
poetry.  When  the  Jewish  scholars  were 
hampered  in  the  Orient  by  persecution,  they 
migrated  westward  to  Spain  and  France, 
and  there  revived  both  the  science  and 
philosophy  of  Judaism  and  created  a  school 
for  Jewish,  Greek,  and  Arabic  theologians, 
poets,  philosophers,  and  scientists,  to  whom 
both  Bible  and  Talmud  were  sacred,  but  no 

12 


fetich.  This  was  a  period  of  Jewish  renais- 
sance, in  which  reason  vied  with  faith,  tra- 
ditional conservation  with  iconoclasm,  ra- 
tionalism with  mystic  cabalism.  And  over  it 
all  was  the  wonder  working  resuscitating 
spirit  of  God. 

This  golden  era  of  peace  and  fertility  in 
Israel  was,  however,  not  destined  to  con- 
tinue long.  The  Spanish  Inquisition 
brought  new  trials  and  stimulated  persecu- 
tion throughout  Europe,  save  in  free  and 
cultured  Holland.  The  Jew  pined  in  the 
Ghetto,  his  life  seemed  extinct,  his  progress 
was  checked.  Again  the  vision  of  dead 
bones  scattered  through  all  the  Ghettos  of 
Europe.  The  real  divine  spirit  in  Israel, 
however,  was  not  dead;  it  only  slept.  When 
the  prison  walls  of  the  Ghetto  were  opened, 
the  Jewish  soul  stepped  forth  ready  to 
breathe  in  the  new  life  of  the  world.  Men- 
delssohn is  the  prophet  of  this  new  renais- 
sance, breathing  new  life  into  Israel  to  revive 
it  by  his  philosophy,  by  a  rational  faith  and 
practice,  by  his  translation  of  the  Pentateuch 
into  German,  by  carrying  the  world's  best 
culture  to  the  Jew  of  the  Ghetto. 

13 


This  revived  Judaism  in  time  came  to 
America,  and  took  root  in  the  new  soil,  and 
has  lived  for  over  a  century  under  various 
interpretations,  doctrines,  and  practices.  All 
honor  to  leaders  like  Wise,  Lilienthal,  Ein- 
horn,  Hirsch,  and  Gottheil,  who  in  this  land 
breathed  the  spirit  of  reform  into  Judaism 
and  preserved  it  and  enhanced  its  value. 

But  later  events  have  proven  that  Reform 
has  its  limitations,  limitations  which  were  not 
foreseen  by  our  leaders  and  teachers  of  a 
generation  ago.  They  builded  for  their 
times  and  we  to-day  must  meet  new  condi- 
tions. For  fifty  years  or  more  the  animated 
struggle  between  Orthodoxy  and  Reform 
kept  alive  the  religious  fervor.  But  now 
that  that  struggle  has  ended,  now  that  the 
old  antagonism  is  no  more,  an  era  of  dead 
calm  has  set  in  which  is  fatal  to  religious 
progress.  The  danger  of  reform  begins 
when  it  has  nothing  more  to  reform  in  doc- 
trine or  ritual  or  practice,  when  it  realizes 
that  it  has  reached  the  end  of  progress. 

What  has  happened  to  modern  Judaism 
is  simply  this,  that  in  the  past  century  ef- 
forts have  been  directed  to  building  up  an 

14 


external  Judaism,  beautiful  synagogues, 
new  rituals  and  forms,  edifying  music  and 
sermons.  But  the  inner  Judaism,  the 
spiritual  side  of  our  faith,  did  not  receive 
adequate  attention.  And  now  it  transpires 
that  all  that  beautiful  fabric  which  was  un- 
doubtedly necessary  at  the  time,  and  still 
serves  a  certain  purpose,  is  inadequate  to 
cope  with  modern  conditions  of  materialism, 
scepticism,  commercialism,  religious  indif- 
ference, and  the  pleasure-seeking  proclivity. 
Let  me  name  some  of  these  various  con- 
flicts that  we  are  facing.  First,  the  Sabbath 
against  commercialism.  Which  is  about  to 
win?  Look  around  you  and  ask  where  are 
the  men?  The  answer  is,  in  the  clutches  of 
commerce,  industry,  and  worldly  pursuits. 
Second,  conflict  between  our  religious  ser- 
vice and  the  social  world.  Where  are  our 
women?  The  answer  is,  following  the  lead 
of  fashion  wherever  it  carries  them  on  the 
Sabbath  or  at  other  times.  Third,  conflict 
between  our  religious  belief  and  scepticism. 
Where  are  the  college  students  of  the  day? 
They  are  chasing  after  the  vague  theories  of 
Nietzsche  and  Bernard  Shaw.  Fourth,  con- 

15 


flict  between  our  faith  and  religious  indif- 
ference. Where  are  the  children?  Answer, 
permitted  and  encouraged  by  indifferent 
parents,  they  are  following  their  own  pur- 
suit of  pleasure. 

Confess  it,  you  loyal  men  and  women  of 
our  faith,  that  Judaism  presents  to-day  what 
it  did  in  the  days  of  Ezekiel,  in  the  Greek 
period,  in  the  Roman  period,  in  the  Spanish 
Inquisition,  in  the  era  of  later  reconstruction 
— a  field  of  dry  bones,  synagogues  appear- 
ing like  sepulchres  that  harbor  only  the  dead 
fragments  of  a  once  great  faith,  or  like  mu- 
seums in  which  are  treasured  religious  an 
tiquities.  The  House  of  Israel  presents  in 
large  measure  a  house  of  dead  souls  instead 
of  the  great  living  spiritual  force  that  once 
was. 

I  do  not  mean  our  Temple  merely.  This 
dead  and  deadening  aspect  of  Judaism  is 
general,  even  in  congregations,  who  through 
sensational  preaching  occasionally  draw  a 
large  crowd.  We  could  also  attract  a  mixed 
multitude  here  if  we  chose  to  pander  to  the 
sensation  and  curiosity  seekers. 

A  learned  rabbi,  it  is  related,  found  that 

16 


his  congregation  was  at  times  listless  dur- 
ing his  sermons.  Therefore,  he  resorted  to 
this  device:  He  took  three  red  balls  in  his 
pulpit,  and  when  the  attention  of  his  congre- 
gation lapsed,  he  juggled  with  the  balls. 
The  people  then  woke  up,  nudged  one  an- 
other, and  smiled.  Then  said  the  rabbi,  I 
have  it  now.  When  I  speak  to  you  seriously 
on  the  condition  of  your  souls,  you  are  list- 
less and  indifferent.  But  when  I  make  a 
fool  of  myself  in  the  pulpit,  you  look  up  and 
are  attentive. 

Sensationalism  in  the  pulpit  is  a  danger- 
ous expedient,  and  is  itself  an  admission  of 
the  decadence  of  a  religious  spirit.  It  is  no 
remedy  for  our  present  evils. 

What,  then,  is  the  panacea  for  the  ills  of 
Judaism?  What  can  revive  these  dead 
souls?  Not  our  broken  and  crippled  Sab- 
bath, not  our  conventional  services  or  per- 
functory compliance  with  traditional  cus- 
toms, not  our  religious  schools  alone,  good 
as  they  may  be,  not  the  mourners'  Kaddish, 
nor  the  annual  revival  on  Yom  Kippur,  not 
even  modern  educational  and  social  acces- 
sories that  we  have  borrowed  from  our  neigh- 

17 


bors.    These  are  all  parts  of  the  dead  bones, 
cast  into  discard  by  the  lost  souls  of  Israel. 

We  to-day  again  hear  the  word  of  God 
spoken  to  Ezekiel:  "Son  of  man,  can  these 
dry  bones  live?"  And  we  hear  the  definite 
answer,  "Behold,  I  will  cause  breath  to  enter 
into  you,  and  ye  shall  live." 

Can  the  dead  souls  in  Israel  live  again  ?  I 
believe  they  can.  What  has  been  done  so 
often  in  Jewish  history  can  be  done  again. 
Nothing  is  impossible  with  God,  but  without 
Him  failure  is  inevitable. 

What  Israel  needs  to-day  is  a  new  sense 
of  God.  The  people  have  lost  their  God 
and  are  worshipping  idols,  namely,  money, 
pleasure,  power,  fame,  popular  applause. 
They  put  their  trust  in  princes  and  the  sons 
of  man. 

Secondly,  Israel  needs  to-day  a  new  sense 
of  the  dignity  of  man,  of  his  relationship  to 
God  through  the  spirit.  Men  are  catering 
to  the  requirements  of  the  flesh,  and  are  ne- 
glecting the  conditions  of  their  souls.  What 
profit  to  a  man  if  he  gain  the  whole  world 
and  lose  his  own  soul? 

18 


Third.  Israel  requires  a  new  sense  of  the 
meaning,  necessity  and  power  of  prayer. 
The  people  have  become  so  materialistically 
minded,  that  they  rely  only  on  physical 
remedies,  and  eschew  the  importance  and 
value  of  prayer  as  a  means  for  spiritual  re- 
suscitation for  comfort,  strength,  patience, 
and  hope. 

Fourth.  Israel  needs  a  new  sense  of  con- 
secration to  the  ideals  for  which  our  faith 
has  always  stood,  a  consecration  such  as 
Israel  faced  at  Sinai  when  it  said,  "We  will 
hear  and  we  will  obey."  The  Marranos  have 
never  saved  Judaism.  They  saved  them- 
selves and  bartered  their  faith  for  a  mess  of 
pottage.  Lecke  has  truly  declared  of  Chris- 
tianity, "martyrdom  is  the  seed  of  the 
church."  This  thought  applies  to  our  faith. 
The  martyrs  of  Israel,  those  men  who  sacri- 
ficed themselves,  have  saved  Judaism.  The 
men  who  are  going  to  the  battlefields,  at  the 
risk  of  their  lives,  will  save  America  and 
humanity.  We  need  such  stalwart  men  and 
women  in  Israel  to-day,  who  possess  the 
courage  of  their  conviction,  and  who  will 
care  more  for  Judaism  on  the  Sabbath  than 

19 


for  chance  speculation,  or  a  passing  amuse- 
ment ;  who  will  care  more  for  their  faith  than 
for  the  social  prestige  of  an  antisemitic 
neighbor. 

Fifth.  But  more  than  that,  we  need 
the  missionary  spirit  in  Israel,  a  spirit  that 
has  done  so  much  for  Christianity.  Our 
neighbors  have  learned  much  from  us;  let 
us  at  least  learn  from  them  how  to  create  a 
religious  revival,  how  to  carry  our  religion 
to  our  people,  to  arouse  them  to  understand 
its  beauty  and  power,  to  teach  them  that  as 
Moses  has  said,  the  law  of  God  is  the  one 
great  distinction  of  Israel,  its  knowledge 
and  its  glory.  Who  will  be  a  missionary  in 
Israel?  Who  will  help  us  create  a  Jewish 
revival  ? 

When  the  spirit  of  God  will  again  enter 
the  dead  souls  of  Israel  and  revive  them,  giv- 
ing them  a  new  sense  of  God,  of  the  power  of 
spirituality,  of  the  force  of  prayer,  of  con- 
secration, of  the  martyrdom  to  conviction, 
and  above  all,  a  missionary  spirit,  then  will 
the  modern  renaissance  of  Judaism  have  set 
in.  Then  will  we  have  a  revival  of  Sab- 
bath observance,  a  revival  of  the  interest  of 

20 


young  people,  a  restoration  of  the  Jewish 
home,  a  renewal  of  parental  example  and  au- 
thority, a  re-establishment  of  the  synagogue 
as  the  center  of  the  congregational  life  and 
activity.  There  will  then  follow  a  revival 
of  Jewish  culture,  of  Jewish  idealism,  of 
Jewish  ethics,  together  with  the  creation  of 
fellowship  and  a  new  solidarity  in  Israel. 
Then  it  will  appear  to  all  that  the  dead  bones 
of  Israel  live  again  and  stand  upon  their  feet 
"an  exceeding  great  army." 

There  are  encouraging  signs  that  this 
renaissance  of  Judaism  is  on  the  way.  The 
reaction  of  the  war  has  set  in.  At  first,  the 
war  had  a  blighting  effect  upon  faith  and 
idealism,  and  people  thought  the  foundation 
of  religion  and  civilization  had  been  de- 
stroyed. But  now  we  realize,  that  the  world 
needs  religion  more  than  ever,  and  that  peo- 
ple are  again  returning  to  their  God  for 
comfort  and  help.  And  so  will  Israel  yearn 
again  for  God  saying,  "I  thank  thee,  O 
Lord,  that  Thou  hast  afflicted  me.  It  has 
been  my  salvation." 

There  is,  secondly,  a  new  awakening  in 
Israel,  due  to  the  sense  of  common  suffering 

21 


which  has  resulted  in  a  new  unity  for  relief. 
The  success  of  the  eleven  million  dollar  fund 
for  the  relief  and  welfare  work  of  Israel  in 
connection  with  the  war,  will  have  permanent 
results  that  will  manifest  themselves  in  a 
united  people,  consecrated  to  God  and  hu- 
manity. 

Thirdly,  there  is  a  greater  activity  in  syna- 
gogal  and  Jewish  communal  life  throughout 
the  country.  There  seems  to  be  a  stirring 
among  the  dead  bones  and  a  resurrection  is 
foreshadowed. 

Fourthly,  there  is  a  greater  interest  mani- 
fested to-day  in  Israel  among  those  whose 
souls  are  aroused  to  the  necessity  of  the  day 
to  awaken  those  who  are  still  asleep. 

Fifth.  The  capture  of  Jerusalem  by  the 
British,  and  the  hope  entertained  by  many 
of  a  regenerated  Palestine  has  put  new  life 
not  only  into  Zionism,  but  into  many  faint 
hearts  who  had  lost  all  hope  of  a  revival  of 
Judaism. 

Sixth.  Large  bodies  of  intelligent  men 
like  the  Intercollegiate  Menorah  Societies, 
which  are  holding  a  convention  in  this  city  at 
present,  are  creating  a  new  interest  in  Juda- 

22 


ism  and  Jewish  communal  problems,  and 
bidding  fair  to  recruit  a  new  corps  of  Jewish 
leaders  from  our  best  men  and  women  of 
the  colleges  and  universities.  This  is  one 
of  the  most  encouraging  signs  of  the  times, 
exhibiting  a  missionary  spirit  that  will  make 
for  Jewish  renaissance. 

Let  us  take  new  heart  therefore  over  these 
gratifying  evidences  of  the  recuperative 
powers  of  Israel.  Judaism  is  not  dead.  It 
may  be  asleep,  but  its  heart  is  awake.  Let 
us  as  a  Congregation  do  our  part.  Let  us 
inaugurate  a  renaissance  in  our  own  midst, 
by  being  true  to  our  name  and  our  watch- 
word Emanu-El,  "God  with  us."  If  God  is 
with  us,  no  one  can  prevail  against  us. 


23 


A  REVIVAL  IN 
TEMPLE  EMANU-EL 

"I  shall  not  die  but  live  and  declare  the  works  of  the 
Lord." 

(Psalm  CXVIII,  17.) 

These  words  are  indicative  of  the  fact  that 
the  revival  in  ancient  Israel  at  the  dedication 
of  the  second  Temple  was  not  to  be  a  mere 
nominal  resurrection,  but  rather  a  strong, 
useful,  and  progressive  vitality.  The  Tem- 
ple was  to  be  not  merely  a  meeting  house  for 
Israel  but  was  to  stand  as  evidence  of  Is- 
rael's great  active  soul.  The  Temple  was 
not  to  be  an  idle  or  empty  place  for  mere 
mechanical  worship  but  a  school  for  Israel's 
teachings,  for  the  translation  of  religion  into 
actuality.  In  other  words  the  revived  relig- 
ion of  Israel  was  to  be  part  of  the  life  of 
Israel.  And  the  Temple  of  Jerusalem  was 
to  be  the  source  of  inspiration  for  such  an 
intensive  testimony  to  the  presence  and 
power  of  God. 

And  when  finally  the  Temple  of  Jerusa- 
lem fell  and  Israel  was  scattered,  every  syna- 
gogue, built  wherever  the  exiled  Jews  as- 

25 


sembled,  became  a  center  for  Jewish  life. 
In  the  diaspora  the  synagogue  with  its  ritual, 
its  Bible  reading,  its  sermon,  and  its  religi- 
ous school,  became  the  stronghold  of  Israel. 
Judaism  stood  or  fell  with  the  synagogue. 
It  was  the  barometer  of  Jewish  vitality.  It 
was  the  source  of  Israel's  inspiration,  the  end 
of  all  his  solicitude.  Israel  Abrahams  in  his 
"Jewish  Life  in  the  Middle  Ages,"  thor- 
oughly describes  the  great  and  important 
part  the  synagogue  played  in  the  life  of 
Israel,  claiming  that  the  Jewish  quarter 
grew  up  around  the  synagogue  which  was 
then  the  center  of  Jewish  life  locally  (in  so- 
cial, civil,  and  political  aspects)  as  well  as 
religiously. 

We  are  now  constrained  to  ask,  what  is 
the  position  of  the  synagogue  in  the  life  of 
the  Jew  to-day?  And  the  answer  is  not  al- 
together satisfactory.  The  synagogue  has 
lost  its  former  place  of  importance  and  in- 
fluence. Due  in  part  to  the  necessities  of 
modern  complicated  life,  many  institutions 
of  an  educational,  social,  and  charitable  na- 
ture have  been  divorced  from  the  synagogue 
and  its  activity  has  been  mainly  concentrated 

26 


upon  religious  service  and  institution.  But 
even  in  this  narrower  field  the  synagogue 
does  not  wield  the  influence  it  formerly  did. 
For  many  people  it  has  lost  all  significance. 

The  problem  before  us  is  to  restore  the 
synagogue  to  the  proper  place  it  should  oc- 
cupy. 

Whereas  the  rehabilitation  of  the  syna- 
gogue is  the  paramount  need  of  to-day,  the 
line  of  action  for  Temple  Emanu-El  is  clear. 
Emanu-El  should  take  the  lead  in  this 
renaissance  of  the  synagogue,  by  creating  a 
revival  in  its  own  midst.  Prosperous  as  our 
congregation  has  been  in  point  of  member- 
ship and  material  conditions,  successful  as 
it  has  been  in  the  contribution  it  has  made  to 
Judaism  in  this  country,  there  is  no  doubt 
but  that  it  can  improve  its  spiritual  asset  and 
become  a  greater  force  in  the  religious  de- 
velopment of  its  members  and  in  the  pro- 
gress of  Judaism  in  general.  Something  is 
lacking  in  the  inner  life  of  our  Congregation. 

A  story  will  illustrate. 

After  a  great  revival  had  taken  a  certain 
city  by  storm,  a  well-known  scape-grace  of 
the  town  applied  to  a  church  for  member- 

27 


ship.  The  committee,  knowing  his  reputa- 
tion, advised  that  he  wait  a  month  and  pray- 
erfully consider  the  matter  of  his  fitness. 
At  the  end  of  the  month  he  returned  and 
was  asked  to  give  his  experience  before  the 
entire  church.  He  arose,  solemnly  turned  to 
the  minister,  deacons  and  audience,  and  said : 
"Fellow  sinners,  daily  for  a  month  God  has 
admonished  me  not  to  feel  badly,  if  I  did 
not  get  into  this  church,  for  He  had  tried  for 
twenty  years  and  was  not  in  yet."  The 
moral  of  the  story  is  plain.  A  church  cannot 
hope  to  convert  others  unless  it  has  been  con- 
verted itself.  A  synagogue  cannot  hope  to 
lead  people  to  God  unless  it  has  God  in  its 
own  midst.  I  believe  that  when  this  Temple 
was  founded,  seventy-three  years  ago,  God 
was  with  the  Congregation,  and  the  men  who 
gave  the  name  Emanu-El  (God  with  us) 
to  this  Congregation,  did  it  out  of  the  sin- 
cerity of  their  hearts.  They  believed  in  God, 
they  walked  with  God,  they  obeyed  His 
law.  Their  religion  was  a  reality.  And, 
therefore,  they  founded  this  Congregation 
and  wrote  this  Preamble  to  the  Constitution : 
"To  perpetuate  Judaism  and  uphold  the  be- 

28 


lief  in  and  worship  of  one  God,  the  Emanu- 
El  Congregation  has  been  established." 

This  preamble  gave  definite,  cogent  pur- 
pose to  the  Congregation,  and  in  a  measure 
was  for  many  years  the  ideal  which  guided 
it.  The  struggle  for  Reform,  the  improve- 
ment of  the  ritual,  the  removal  from  one 
building  to  always  a  better  one,  the  creation 
of  the  Religious  School,  the  encouragement 
given  to  Jewish  charitable  and  educational 
institutions,  the  practice  of  patriotism  and 
civic  duties  and  the  participation  in  all  pub- 
lic movements  for  general  relief,  as  well  as 
for  the  welfare  of  city,  state,  or  nation,  all 
tended  to  the  furtherance  of  a  comprehensive 
interpretation  of  that  preamble,  to  wit:  the 
perpetuation  of  Judaism  and  the  promotion 
of  the  belief  in  and  the  worship  of  one  God. 
I  believe  that  the  first  generation  of  this 
Congregation  did  its  full  duty,  as  it  under- 
stood it,  in  carrying  out  the  laudable  purpose 
for  which  the  Temple  was  established. 

But  there  came  a  time  when  the  old  text 
of  the  Scripture  was  verified,  "And  Jeshu- 
run  waxed  fat  and  he  kicked,"  that  is  to  say, 
there  came  a  time  when  worldly  interests 

29 


absorbed  the  attention  of  this  Congregation 
to  the  detriment  of  its  original  purpose.  In 
the  course  of  the  last  fifty  years  the  old  ideal 
has  been  lost  sight  of — on  the  part  of  many 
has  been  ignored — and  on  the  part  of  some 
has  been  contradicted  by  their  words  and 
needs.  The  Congregation  as  a  whole  has 
done  little  to  uphold  the  purpose  for  which 
it  was  established,  namely  "to  perpetuate 
Judaism  and  to  uphold  belief  in  and  worship 
of  God."  Do  they  worship  God?  If  so, 
when  and  where?  Those  certainly  do  not 
worship  God  in  the  synagogue  who  are 
studiously  absent  on  the  Sabbath  and  holy 
days.  Do  they  worship  God,  and  uphold 
belief  in  Him  in  their  home  ?  Can  a  fair  per- 
centage of  those  who  observe  no  Sabbath  or 
holy  days  testify,  that  they  uphold  the  wor- 
ship of  God  in  their  homes?  My  experience 
and  observance  in  many  families  would  com- 
pel me  to  testify  in  the  negative.  Do  mem- 
bers of  the  Congregation  seek  to  perpetuate 
Judaism  through  the  Religious  Schools 
which  they  have  neglected  and  even  to  this 
day  ignore?  Do  they  perpetuate  Judaism 
through  the  congregational  activities?  The 

30 


Emanu-El  Sisterhood  and  Brotherhood, 
which  have  for  years  solicited  members  from 
the  families  of  the  Congregation,  have  com- 
plained in  vain  of  the  lack  of  active  workers. 

I  am  not  unmindful  of  the  fact  that  there 
is  a  saving  remnant  in  the  Congregation,  as 
there  is  in  every  congregation,  that  does  its 
full  duty.  And  it  is  to  that  saving  remnant 
that  Emanu-El  owes  its  present  existence 
and  whatever  prestige  it  has  secured.  It  is 
to  such  a  saving  remnant,  that  Israel  owes 
its  preservation  throughout  its  two  thousand 
years  of  trials  and  emergencies. 

I  believe  the  time  has  come  to  put  an  end 
to  this  status  of  indifference.  I  believe  that 
the  whole  Congregation  should  perform  its 
full  duty.  Every  member  of  this  Congre- 
gation assumes  a  duty  upon  being  elected,  to 
fulfill  the  purpose  laid  down  in  the  preamble 
of  the  Constitution,  to  wit:  "to  perpetuate 
Judaism  and  to  uphold  the  belief  and  wor- 
ship of  Jehovah."  I  believe  the  time  has 
come  for  a  great  revival  in  Temple  Emanu- 
El,  for  a  revival  in  which  every  member  and 
every  home  affiliated  with  this  Temple 
should  take  a  part.  We  should  end  at  once 

31 


and  for  all  this  state  of  indifference  to  the 
Temple,  as  well  as  to  Judaism  in  general. 
Members  of  the  Congregation  should  learn 
that  they  have  not  only  rights  but  duties, 
duties  that  are  concerned  in  upholding  the 
honor  and  usefulness  of  the  Temple  and  in 
making  it  an  instrument  of  service  to  Juda- 
ism and  Israel.  The  duty  of  a  citizen  to  his 
country  consists  not  merely  in  paying  the 
taxes  but  in  obeying  the  laws  and  in  serving 
the  country  in  war  and  peace.  Similarly  the 
duty  of  a  member  of  a  Congregation  does 
not  end  with  the  payment  of  the  yearly  mem- 
bership fee,  but  includes  service  of  the  high- 
est order — consecration  to  the  Temple  and 
the  cause  it  represents.  Our  country  de- 
mands one  hundred  per  cent  of  patriotism. 
That  indicates  what  I  mean  by  a  Revival 
in  Temple  Emanu-El,  the  replacing  of  the 
one  per  cent.  Judaism  that  many  members 
possess  by  one  hundred  per  cent.  Judaism. 
We  have  hyphenated  Jews,  that  is,  Yom 
Kippur — Jews,  race  Jews,  cosmopolitan 
Jews,  emancipated  Jews,  Jews-at-heart, 
cEarity  Jews,  Unitarian  Jews,  Christian 
Science — Jews,  Free  Thought — Jews,  etc. 

32 


A  revival  in  Emanu-El  means  that  we  must 
convert  all  these  hyphenated  Jews  into  real 
Jews. 

Let  it  not  be  said  that  when  people  be- 
come wealthy,  they  lose  their  religion.  I 
know  that  in  several  conspicuous  instances 
this  charge  is  untenable.  But  perhaps  these 
conspicuous  instances  constitute  the  excep- 
tions that  justify  the  charge.  I  am  not 
ready  to  grant  even  that.  I  believe  there  is 
much  pent  up  religion  in  Emanu-El.  It 
shall  be  pent  up  no  longer.  It  shall  find 
a  vent  and  express  itself.  Let  us  institute 
a  revival  marked  by  attendance  at  ser- 
vices, by  Sabbath  observance,  by  increase 
of  the  Religious  School,  by  greater  interest 
and  co-operation  in  the  welfare  of  the  Tem- 
ple and  all  its  activities,  and  by  greater  par- 
ticipation in  the  movements  making  for  the 
general  advance  of  Israel,  by  the  study  of  the 
Scriptures  and  the  history  of  Israel,  by  ob- 
servance of  the  festivals  and  holy  days,  by 
instituting  some  form  of  home  religion,  in 
short,  by  perpetuating  Judaism  and  up- 
holding the  belief  in  and  worship  of  one  God. 

Such  a  revival  will  benefit  not  merely  the 

33 


congregation  as  a  whole,  but  every  family 
and  every  individual.  A  religious  revival 
must  react  on  the  home  and  the  individual, 
for  no  one  can  enter  into  a  religious  revival 
without  very  soon  experiencing  a  decided 
spiritual  improvement.  A  religious  revival 
is  a  moral  tonic — a  spiritual  stimulus  which 
leaves  the  possessor  richer  in  mind  and  heart, 
gives  him  a  broader  outlook  upon  life  and 
makes  him  more  contented  and  happy. 

But  the  revival  will  not  end  at  the  doors  of 
Emanu-El  or  in  the  soul  of  its  members  and 
the  heart  of  its  homes.  It  will  extend  be- 
yond those  precincts.  When  once  our  mem- 
bers are  aroused  to  the  importance  and 
necessity,  to  the  value  of  a  revival  for 
Emanu-El  and  its  members  and  homes,  they 
will  think  of  those  who  are  less  fortunate 
than  we  in  the  direction  of  opportunity  for 
religious  or  spiritual  uplift. 

There  are  a  hundred  thousand  Jews  in 
this  city  too  poor  to  belong  to  any  syna- 
gogue, and  too  busy  trying  to  earn  a  liveli- 
hood to  organize  themselves  into  congrega- 
tions, even  if  they  had  the  means.  There 
are  two  hundred  thousand  Jewish  children 

34 


not  receiving  any  religious  instruction  at 
all,  because  their  parents  are  either  too  poor 
or  too  indifferent  to  provide  it  for  them. 
The  Sisterhood  and  Brotherhood  are  or- 
ganized for  such  and  other  purposes,  and 
are  conducting  free  religious  schools  and 
free  services.  But  the  work  is  limited,  ow- 
ing to  lack  of  funds.  This  Congregation 
should  open  branch  synagogues  and  schools 
in  several  parts  of  the  city,  where  the  con- 
gestion creates  pressing  needs.  Several 
large  Christian  Churches,  like  Trinity  and 
the  Collegiate  Church,  have  branch  churches 
or  Chapels,  and  it  is  high  time  that  our  Con- 
gregation developed  the  missionary  spirit 
and  carried  its  message  outside  its  own  doors 
to  Jews  who  are  willing  to  receive  it.  We 
must  perpetuate  Judaism  beyond  our  own 
Temple.  That  would  be  the  greatest  evi- 
dence of  a  Revival. 

A  Revival  in  our  midst  will  be  of  benefit 
to  Judaism  at  large  which  needs  the  example 
and  leadership  of  Emanu-El.  I  say  this  in 
all  modesty,  but  advisedly,  for  it  is  a  fact 
that  Emanu-El  has  initiated  many  reforms 


35 


that  have  been  later  adopted  by  other  con- 
gregations. And  if  we  take  the  lead  in 
creating  a  general  revival  in  our  Congrega- 
tion, that  will  manifest  itself  in  unmistak- 
able forms,  it  will  not  be  long  before  the 
contagion  of  such  a  good  example  will 
spread  far  and  wide. 

My  friends,  in  the  Ethics  of  the  Fathers, 
it  is  said:  "The  day  is  short,  the  work  is 
great,  and  the  laborers  are  sluggish;  the  re- 
ward is  much  and  the  Master  of  the  House 
is  urgent."  This  saying  may  apply  to  the 
task  of  Revival  that  is  before  us.  The  time 
is  short,  the  work  is  great,  and  the  laborers 
are  sluggish.  Who  will  help  in  this  work  of 
reviving  Emanu-El?  Who  will  join  a  Re- 
vival Committee  and  lend  a  hand  in  this 
laudable  effort?  Awake,  O  Emanu-El,  and 
remember  what  your  fathers  and  forefathers 
have  done.  Perpetuate  this  Temple  and  aid 
the  cause  of  Israel.  O  Emanu-El!  thou  re- 
pository of  sacred  traditions,  of  sweet  mem- 
ories, arise  from  thy  lethargy,  and  take  thy 
place  in  the  forefront  of  the  battle  for  Is- 
rael's faith.  Be  not  the  pall  bearers  of  Is- 
rael's faith.  Be  captains  and  workers  in  the 

36 


vineyard  of  the  Lord,  so  that  Emanu-El 
may  say,  as  did  ancient  Israel,  "I  shall  not 
die,  but  live  and  declare  the  works  of  the 
Lord!" 


37 


DUTY  AND  PART  OF  THE  YOUTH 
IN  THE  REVIVAL 

"And  all  thy  children  shall  be  taught  of  the  Lord  and 
great  shall  be  the  peace  of  thy  children." 

(Isaiah  LIV,  13.) 

The  Prophet  Isaiah,  in  speaking  of  the 
restoration  of  ancient  Israel,  indicates  how 
that  revival  of  Judaism  which  took  place 
after  the  rebuilding  of  the  Temple  might  be 
made  permanent.  He  realized  that  that 
generation  would  pass  away,  and  he  looked 
to  the  future.  Over  two  thousand  years 
ago,  the  wise  sage  sensed  the  principle  that 
is  common  property  to-day,  that  the  future 
lies  in  the  hands  of  the  youth,  that  the  proper 
education  of  the  youth  is  the  only  guarantee 
for  the  salvation  of  the  world. 

This  thought  is  borne  out  by  a  tradition 
found  in  the  ancient  history  of  Israel.  It  is 
related  that,  when  God  gave  Israel  the  Law 
on  Sinai  and  they  promised  to  obey,  He 
demanded  a  guarantee  that  they  would 
never  forsake  their  law.  And  Israel  an- 

39 


swered,  "Let  Heaven  and  Earth  be  our 
witnesses."  But  the  Lord  refused  to  accept 
such  a  guarantee.  "Then  let  the  virtues  of 
our  forefathers,  their  good  deeds,  be  indica- 
tive of  what  we  will  do,"  said  Israel.  Again 
the  Lord  refused.  "Then  let  our  prophets 
be  surety,"  cried  the  people.  "But  prophets 
may  differ,  or  may  prove  false,  and  therefore 
can  not  serve  as  assurance  of  the  permanence 
of  your  faith,"  said  the  Voice  from  Heaven. 
"Then,"  said  Israel,  "let  our  children  whom 
we  shall  teach  the  law,  be  our  pledge  that  the 
faith  will  not  depart  from  our  midst."  And 
the  Lord  accepted  this  pledge  which  is  re- 
flected in  the  words  of  Scripture,  "In  the 
place  of  thy  sires  shall  be  thy  children." 
"From  the  mouth  of  babes  and  sucklings 
the  Lord  will  receive  new  strength." 

The  history  of  Israel  attests  the  value  of 
that  pledge.  The  "children"  have  saved 
Israel  and  perpetuated  Judaism.  Abraham 
placed  his  reliance  on  Isaac,  Isaac  on  Jacob, 
and  Jacob  on  his  twelve  sons.  Joseph,  the 
Hebrew  lad,  is  taken  from  prison,  becomes 
the  viceroy  of  Egypt,  and  is  then  by  force 
of  his  virtue,  intelligence,  and  power  enabled 

40 


to  save  the  embryonic  nation  of  Israel  from 
destruction  during  the  famine  and  to  place 
it  in  a  position  for  future  development.  The 
crafty  Pharaoh  of  four  hundred  years,  later 
feared  not  the  old  Hebrews,  bent  under  their 
tasks,  but  the  young  men,  and  therefore,  he 
sought  to  destroy  the  male  children.  Moses, 
the  lad,  beheld  Israel's  dire  plight  and  from 
his  youthful  soul  that  rebelled  against  the 
enslavement  of  his  people,  came  forth  the 
great  liberator.  The  old  generation  of  the 
wilderness,  beyond  the  hope  of  redemption, 
died  in  the  wilderness,  but  Palestine  was  con- 
quered and  redeemed  by  young  Israel.  Jo- 
shua and  Caleb  and  the  majority  of  Israel's 
later  leaders,  began  their  successful  careers 
as  young  men.  Samson  is  a  judge  at  fifty; 
David,  the  youngest  of  Jesse's  sons,  was  a 
youth  when  he  slew  Goliath  and  delivered 
Israel.  When  still  a  young  man  he  was  an- 
nointed  King  of  Israel.  Isaiah  and  Jeremiah 
prophesied  at  twenty.  Ezekiel  received  the 
word  of  God  at  thirty.  The  youthful  and 
strong  Maccabees  saved  Israel  Trom  the 
Syrians  and  restored  the  Temple.  And 
after  Rome  destroyed  Jerusalem,  Israel's 

41 


faith  was  saved  by  the  young  men  who  stud- 
ied in  the  school  at  Jamnia  under  Jochanon 
ben  Saccai. 

We  could  continue  thus  to  trace  the  his- 
tory of  Israel  and  prove  that  in  every  gen- 
eration the  burden  rested  upon  the  young  to 
accept  the  law  and  carry  it  intact  to  the  next 
generation,  and  that  young  Israel  in  the  past 
has  not  been  recreant  to  its  duty.  It  was  not 
tempted  by  bribe,  or  intimidated  by  threat  or 
terrorized  by  sufferings.  It  bore  the  stings 
of  ridicule,  the  pains  of  torture,  the  hard- 
ships of  persecution,  the  ostracism  and  mis- 
fortune of  antisemitism  with  an  exemplary 
spirit  of  martyrdom.  All  honor  to  young 
Israel  of  past  generations,  to  those  stalwart 
young  men  and  women  who  broke  many  a 
lance  for  our  cause  and  aided  in  the  preserva- 
tion of  our  faith. 

But  what  about  young  Israel  of  to-day? 
We  are  facing  one  of  the  greatest  problems 
in  the  history  of  Judaism,  namely,  how  to 
check  the  defection  of  young  men  and 
women  from  our  ranks  and  cause  them  to 
realize  the  duty  they  owe  to  Israel  and  the 
part  they  can  perform  in  the  revival  of  Juda- 

42 


ism.  This  evil  is  not  of  to-day,  but  has  been 
growing  for  the  past  two  generations  at 
least.  It  is  due,  firstly,  to  the  irreligious 
tendency  of  the  day  which  is  reflected  in 
many  books  and  periodicals,  as  well  as  in 
conversation  and  public  addresses.  There 
exists  a  spirit  of  mocking  in  holy  matters, 
as  Bacon  says,  which  makes  for  irreverence 
in  the  young.  It  is  very  often  indulged  in 
by  teachers  and  professors  in  schools  and 
colleges,  who  thus  insidiously  sow  the  seed 
of  irreligion  in  the  minds  and  hearts  of  pup- 
ils and  students. 

Secondly,  I  find  that  the  young  have  been 
falsely  trained  to  follow  the  fashion  of  the 
day,  to  note  the  prevailing  currents  of 
thought  and  action,  and  to  trim  their  sails 
accordingly.  And  religion  is  not  fashion- 
able, especially  not  in  Jewish  circles.  Hence 
the  young  people  look  askance  at  religion 
as  not  an  essential  part  of  the  accomplish- 
ments or  equipment  of  the  modern  man  and 
woman ! 

Thirdly,  young  people,  as  a  rule,  possess 
only  a  superficial  education.  They  have  re- 
ceived a  veneer  of  intellectual  attainment, 

43 


only  enough  to  cover  up  a  native,  crass  ig- 
norance. They  possess  that  little  learning 
which  is  a  dangerous  thing.  They  have 
scanned  some  pages  of  Spencer,  Darwin, 
Huxley  and  Nietzsche,  and  are  able  to  prate 
glibly  of  the  Unknown  and  Unknowable 
and  to  defy  any  professor  of  religion  to 
prove  the  existence  of  God,  or  the  authen- 
ticity of  the  Scriptures. 

Fourthly,  it  has  become  a  notorious  fact 
that  young  people  regard  religion  as  un- 
necessary for  success.  They  have  become  all 
too  practical,  and  tell  us  nonchalantly  that 
the  most  successful,  the  greatest  scientists, 
artists,  philosophers,  merchants,  and  states- 
men have  been  irreligious.  And  when  we 
point  to  such  great  men,  like  Gladstone, 
Mendelssohn,  Washington,  Montefiore,  and 
innumerable  others,  they  turn  a  deaf  ear 
and  claim  that  those  shining  examples,  com- 
bining religion  and  success,  are  exceptions. 

But  the  most  lamentable  cause  for  the  de- 
fection of  the  young  in  our  times,  especially 
in  Israel,  is  undoubtedly  the  lack  of  parental 
example.  When  fathers  and  mothers  are 

44 


irreligious,  very  little  can  be  expected  of 
their  children. 

In  the  face  of  these  trying  difficulties  the 
problem  of  the  synagogue  of  winning  young 
Israel  back  to  the  faith  is  herculean.  It 
cannot  be  solved  by  casting  the  burden  alto- 
gether on  the  minister,  though  it  is  pre- 
eminently his  office  to  teach  religion.  It  is 
idle  to  blame  him  for  the  shortcomings  of 
this  skeptical  and  materialistic  age,  for  the 
evils  of  a  faulty  and  superficial  education 
of  the  youth,  for  the  fact  that  religion  is 
not  fashionable,  that  it  is  not  regarded  as 
necessary  for  success,  and  that  many  parents 
set  a  woeful  example  of  irreligion  and  indif- 
ference, instead  of  devotion  to  our  sacred 
cause. 

We  cannot  hope  to  reform  the  world,  to 
convert  all  parents  to  religion,  and  to 
change  conditions  in  schools  and  colleges 
that  would  eliminate  scoffing  teachers  and 
professors.  We  cannot  hope  to  induce  so- 
ciety to  make  religion  as  fashionable  as  lec- 
tures on  political  economy  and  social  science, 
and  to  teach  the  world  that  success,  minus  a 

45 


regard  for  a  higher  spiritual  life,  is  not  suc- 
cess. 

But  the  case  of  young  Israel  is  neverthe- 
less not  beyond  remedy.  Several  methods 
of  attacking  the  defection  are  open  to  us. 
First  is  recognition  of  the  fact  that  the 
young  can  be  influenced  through  their  in- 
intellectual  and  their  social  proclivities. 
Man  is  developed  through  his  thoughts  and 
sentiments,  and  in  any  religious  revival  these 
must  be  touched.  Currents  of  thought  and 
action  should  be  created  that  would  tend  to 
lead  the  young  back  to  the  synagogue.  You 
cannot  force  them  back.  You  must  lead 
them  by  the  things  that  attract  the  mind  and 
the  emotions.  The  social  engineer  under- 
stands this  principle  and  applies  it  in  the  im- 
provement of  the  crowd.  This  principle  has 
also  been  acted  upon  in  the  establishment  of 
neighborhood  settlements,  Young  Men's 
and  Young  Women's  Hebrew  Associations, 
and  similar  agencies. 

As  society  is  now  constituted,  currents  of 
thought  and  social  life  lead  our  young  peo- 
ple away  from  the  synagogue.  Our  leaders, 
without  reflection  on  them  be  it  said,  are  not 

46 


social  engineers,  and,  therefore,  have  un- 
consciously permitted  the  young  people  to 
drift  away  from  the  synagogue  for  their 
intellectual  and  social  requirements  to  the 
lecture  hall,  dance  halls,  club  houses,  libraries 
and  other  places  of  instruction  and  enter- 
tainment. The  problem  before  us  is  to  con- 
nect such  avenues  for  intellectual  and  social 
life  with  the  Temple,  by  creation  of  a  Tem- 
ple Centre,  in  which  there  should  be  ample 
opportunities  for  the  play  of  thought  and 
social  instincts.  I  have  often  advocated  this 
Temple  Annex,  and  do  so  again  with  this  ad- 
ditional argument,  that,  religion  must  ally 
itself  to  modern  appliances  for  influencing 
the  minds  and  sentiments  of  the  young.  It 
may  cost  several  hundred  thousand  dollars 
to  establish  a  proper  annex  to  our  Temple, 
but  every  dollar  thus  expended  is  an  invest- 
ment and  every  moment  lost  is  adding  an- 
other nail  to  the  coffin  of  modern  Judaism. 

A  second  method  of  attack  is  to  awaken 
young  Israel  to  the  duty  it  owes  to  itself  and 
to  Israel. 

Let  jToung  Israel  take  to  heart  the  text, 
"Let  all  the  children  be  taught  of  the  Lord 

47 


and  great  will  be  the  peace  of  thy  children." 
This  applies  firstly  to  the  individual.  It 
means  that  religion  and  peace  or  religion  and 
a  successful  life  go  hand  in  hand.  For  re- 
ligion is  "a  tree  of  life  to  those  who  seize 
hold  of  it."  Religion  invests  life  with  a 
broader  and  nobler  outlook  than  merely  the 
material.  For  the  young  man  and  woman 
starting  out  to  make  a  career,  religion  is  an 
asset  that  will  be  a  source  of  intellectual, 
moral,  and  spiritual  power.  Let  the  youth 
of  our  day  be  earnestly  advised  of  this  rela- 
tion of  religion  to  success.  Let  them  be 
shown  that  religion  is  not  a  philosophical 
speculation  or  superstition,  but  a  moral  in- 
fluence that  has  a  direct  bearing  on  indi- 
vidual welfare.  Faith  is  a  supreme  power 
that  ultimately  makes  for  righteousness,  re- 
conciles us  to  many  trials  and  creates  an  op- 
timistic spirit  that  is  of  great  spiritual  value 
in  an  emergency.  In  the  present  world's 
crisis,  it  is  religion  that  sustains  many  people 
with  the  unfaltering  trust  that  the  right  will 
prevail.  Let  young  Israel  accept  that  faith 
and  increase  its  courage,  staying  power,  and 
hope  of  success. 

48 


Then  there  is,  moreover,  a  duty  that 
young  Israel  owes  to  the  whole  house  of  Is- 
rael. You  should  not  separate  yourselves 
from  your  own  people.  We  ought  to  feel 
proud  of  the  origin  of  the  history  of  Israel, 
its  people,  its  heroes  and  martyrs,  its  litera- 
ture, its  faith.  "Look  to  the  rock  whence 
you  were  hewn."  America  is  proud  of  the 
American  patriots,  and  points  to  them  with 
a  glow  of  satisfaction.  Americans  are  proud 
of  their  constitution,  their  democracy,  their 
liberties.  Young  American  Israel,  know 
you  not  that  the  American  Constitution  is 
of  Hebraic  origin,  that  Israel  was  the  first 
people  to  stand  for  civil  liberty  and  religi- 
ous freedom?  Know  you  not,  that  the  pio- 
neers of  America  were  influenced  by  the 
spirit  of  the  Bible  and  especially  of  the  Mo- 
saic code?  Know  you  not,  that  Judaism  is 
the  source  of  all  the  greater  religions  of  the 
civilized  world,  that  our  Bible  has  influenced 
human  thought  and  civilization  more  than 
any  one  book  in  all  literature  ?  This  pardon- 
able pride  in  Israel's  achievements  and  con- 
tribution to  humanity  ought  to  lead  young 
Israel  to  a  hearty  espousal  of  its  cause. 

49 


If  your  father  and  mother  were  both  dead, 
and,  years  after,  you  had  found  a  document 
which  they  left  and  it  had  been  brought  to 
you,  would  you  not  read  it;  would  you  not 
try  to  decipher  it,  and  have  some  one  explain 
it?  And  if  your  parents  had  in  that  last 
document,  which  was  their  last  will  and  tes- 
tament, ordered  certain  things  to  be  done, 
would  you  not  try  to  perform  them?  An- 
cient Israel  is  your  ancestor ;  it  has  left  you  a 
sacred  document,  the  Bible,  a  sacred  religion, 
Judaism.  Will  you  not  read  that  Bible  and 
keep  their  religion?  Will  you  not  treasure 
that  heritage  of  old?  And  when  you  find 
that  it  is  useful  for  to-day  and  highly  es- 
teemed by  the  world,  it  should  be  both  your 
duty  and  your  pride  to  accept  this  Bible  and 
practice  this  faith  of  your  fathers.  Thus 
the  heart  of  the  fathers  will  be  turned  to  the 
children,  and  the  heart  of  the  children  to  the 
fathers.  Thus  the  mantle  of  Elijah  will  fall 
on  Elisha,  and  the  parents  and  children, 
teachers  and  pupils,  will  be  united  in  the 
worship  of  God  and  the  practice  of  love  to 
man. 

50 


But  what,  we  are  asked,  can  young  Israel 
specifically  do  in  furtherance  of  the  revival 
of  Judaism?  The  very  desire  to  further 
this  cause  is  already  an  accomplishment. 
And  it  will  stimulate  activity  in  the  direc- 
tion of  co-operation  in  the  religious  school 
and  young  people's  societies  and  Jewish 
charities.  Young  Israel,  your  part  lies  espe- 
cially in  the  furtherance  of  the  interest  of 
the  synagogue!  Let  me  remind  those  of 
young  Israel  who  stood  upon  this  holy  plat- 
form on  the  day  of  Shabuoth  and  accepted 
the  law  of  God  with  the  resolution  to  keep 
it,  that  that  resolution  was  made  with  the 
firm  conviction  that  Judaism  was  part  of 
your  life  and  was  to  be  a  leaven  in  the  de- 
velopment of  your  character  and  your 
career.  That  holy  occasion  should  not  be 
lost  sight  of.  You  are  and  should  feel  that 
j^ou  are  a  part  of  the  synagogue.  You  can 
keep  the  Sabbath  and  holidays.  You  can 
attend  the  religious  services.  And  when  you 
have  thus  gained  an  inspiration  for  your  own 
lives,  you  can  carry  it  to  others. 

I  have  said  that  Emanu-El  needs  mis- 
sionaries. And  who  is  better  equipped  than 

51 


young  Israel  to  become  missionaries  in  this 
great  cause? 

Young  Israel,  make  this  Temple  your 
own.  In  very  truth  it  is  yours.  It  will  be 
your  inheritance.  The  present  leaders  will 
pass  away  and  you  must  stand  ready  to  take 
their  places.  You  are  the  reserve  army  of 
Israel.  When  the  front  lines  have  fallen 
at  their  post  of  duty,  your  lines  must  move 
forward  to  take  their  places.  You  must  fill 
up  the  breach  in  the  ranks. 

Therefore,  my  young  friends,  I  bid  you 
to  realize  the  imperative  duty  of  the  hour, 
to  train  yourselves  for  your  present  as  well 
as  your  future  work,  for  your  God  and  your 
people.  Become  torch  bearers  of  Israel's 
faith.  The  light  that  you  car,ry  will  illumine 
your  own  souls  and  will  aid  in  dispelling  ir- 
religion,  scoffing,  barbarity,  and  inhumanity, 
and  bring  nearer  a  new  era. 

Young  Israel,  you  are  the  advance  guard 
of  a  new  civilization.  When  this  war  has 
been  fought  and  won,  when  peace  has  been 
established  and  reconstruction  has  begun, 
you  will  enter  a  new  world  of  greater 
thought  and  action  than  has  ever  existed. 

52 


You  can  prepare  yourselves  for  that  greater 
day,  by  now  espousing  the  ideals  of  your 
faith,  Truth  and  Justice,  Liberty,  Equal- 
ity, and  Peace,  for  that  will  be  the  slogan  of 
the  reconstructed  world.  When  you  have 
been  taught  of  the  Lord,  your  peace  will  be 
great  and  eternal. 


53 


SHALL  WE  SURRENDER 
JUDAISM? 

"They  who  builded  on  the  walls  and  they  that  bear  bur- 
dens with  those  that  loaded,  every  one  with  one  of  his 
hands  wrought  in  the  work  and  with  the  other  held  a 
weapon.  For  the  builders,  every  one  had  his  sword  by  his 
side  and  so  builded." 

(Neh.  IV,  17-18.) 

Nehemiah,  a  great  leader  of  ancient  Israel, 
about  the  year  444  B.  C.,  had  obtained  per- 
mission from  the  King  of  Persia  to  rebuild 
the  walls  of  Jerusalem,  in  order  to  make  the 
city  and  the  Temple,  as  well  as  the  people, 
secure.  But  the  Samaritans,  jealous  of  the 
return  of  the  Jews  to  their  former  home, 
threatened  to  prevent  the  rebuilding  of  the 
walls.  The  intrepid  leader,  Nehemiah,  how- 
ever, was  undaunted,  and  he  armed  his  build- 
ers. As  the  text  says,  the  men  built  with 
one  hand,  while  with  the  other  they  held  a 
weapon.  Some  had  a  sword  beside  them; 
others  a  spear,  always  ready  with  which  to 
defend  themselves.  But  they  never  ceased  to 
build.  It  was  not  long  before  the  Samari- 
tans, seeing  the  readiness  of  the  Jews  for  de- 
fense, retired,  and  the  work  of  building  the 

55 


wall  was  completed  without  further  inter- 
ference. 

This  story  teaches  the  valuable  character- 
istics of  an  intrepid  leader,  who  is  not  intimi- 
dated by  difficulties  while  engaged  in  an  im- 
portant work.  As  Nehemiah  prepared  him- 
self for  building  the  wall  and  at  the  same 
time  for  defense  against  the  attacks  of  the 
enemy,  who  sought  to  prevent  the  work,  so 
every  one  must  act  if  he  wishes  to  succeed 
in  any  important  engagement.  Every  one 
must  be  equipped  with  the  trowel  and  the 
sword:  the  one  indicative  of  an  instrument 
for  labor ;  the  other  of  a  weapon  for  defense. 

It  often  happens  that,  whilst  one  is  en- 
gaged in  a  great  reformatory  task,  his  mo- 
tives are  impugned,  his  method  is  criticized, 
his  purpose  is  belittled  and  questioned.  And 
if  this  process  of  hampering  the  reformer 
does  not  avail,  his  plans  are  attacked  in  gen- 
eral, as  well  as  in  detail,  and  every  possible 
obstacle  is  put  in  his  way.  The  envious 
Samaritans  are  not  all  dead.  They  raise 
their  heads  everywhere,  and  are  ever  ready 
to  carry  on  their  selfish,  destructive  work. 
Hence,  it  is  necessary  to  be  provided  with 

56 


the  trowel  and  the  sword,  unless  one  is  will- 
ing to  relinquish  his  task  and  surrender  to 
his  foes  and  be  recreant  to  his  duty.  The 
great  men  of  history,  who  fill  the  halls  of 
fame  are  immortal;  they  were  builders  and 
fighters. 

The  trowel  and  the  sword  held  by  a  person 
at  the  same  time,  constitute  a  symbol  of  mili- 
tant progress,  and  may  serve  to  indicate  the 
militantly  progressive  spirit  of  Israel.  The 
Jews  under  Nehemiah  caught  the  spirit  of 
their  brave  leader.  This  was  not  accidental, 
but  rather  in  line  with  that  determined,  self- 
reliant,  aggressive  spirit  that  marked  the 
Jewish  people. 

Abraham  exhibited  that  resoluteness  for 
work  and  defense  when  he  left  his  father's 
house,  city,  and  country,  to  build  a  new  na- 
tion in  a  strange  land.  The  same  impulse 
for  advance  actuated  Moses  to  become  the 
liberator  and  re-organizer  of  his  people. 
That  defensive  belligerency  was  also  mani- 
fested by  Mordecai  and  Esther,  by  the  Mac- 
cabees, by  Hannah  and  her  seven  sons,  and 
by  innumerable  stalwart  sons  and  daughters 
in  Israel,  who  would  not  bend  the  knee  to 

57 


idols,  nor  surrender  any  of  their  cherished 
beliefs  or  ideals. 

Israel  has  been  called  "the  miracle  of  his- 
tory," because  it  has  preserved  itself  despite 
all  attacks,  whilst  many  other  nations  have 
fallen  under  similar  burdens.  Judaism  may 
be  called  the  miracle  in  the  history  of  re- 
ligions. Whilst  many  religions  have  come 
and  disappeared,  Judaism  still  remains ;  and 
it  remains  intact,  because  it  was  always  a 
militantly  progressive  religion.  Religion  to 
be  successful  must  be  a  builder  and  a  fighter. 
It  must  build  up  the  spirit  within  and  fight 
aggression  from  without,  especially  the  ag- 
gression of  infidelity,  error,  ignorance,  in- 
tolerance, and  prejudice. 

The  ancient  rabbis  built  a  wall  around  the 
Jewish  faith;  that  is  to  say,  they  added  line 
to  line,  precept  to  precept,  law  to  law,  cere- 
mony to  ceremony,  as  is  explained  in  the 
Jewish  writings,  in  order  to  protect  the 
Torah.  The  Talmud  says,  that  this  building 
of  a  wall  around  the  Torah  is  as  if  a  man  had 
a  precious  garden,  around  which  he  built 
many  fences,  so  that  if  the  outer  fence  was 
destroyed,  there  would  be  still  other  fences 

58 


to  protect  the  garden.  But  the  walls  of 
Judaism  have  been  gradually  broken  down 
of  late  years:  first,  the  dietary  laws;  then 
the  strict  Sabbath  laws;  then  the  Sabbath 
itself.  Later  the  home  ceremonies  went  by 
the  board  one  by  one;  then  the  Synagogue 
ritual  was  continually  shortened.  The  He- 
brew language  was  gradually  replaced  by 
German,  then  by  English  or  some  other 
vernacular,  until  now  Hebrew  is  regarded 
by  some  as  an  intrusion  in  the  ritual,  whereas 
it  formerly  was  there  by  right.  The  funeral 
ceremonies  have  been  curtailed.  The  Min- 
yan  service  has  been  reduced  from  seven 
days  to  three,  or  two,  or  one,  and  often  it 
is  omitted  altogether.  The  Kaddish  is  still 
said;  but  many  of  the  modern  children  re- 
gard it  merely  as  a  custom  rather  than  an 
outpouring  of  the  human  heart  to  God  and 
a  memorial  for  the  dead.  Thus,  the  walls, 
the  fences  of  Judaism,  have  been  gradually 
impaired.  In  the  cases  of  some  of  our  breth- 
ren, these  walls  have  been  entirely  broken 
down.  There  are  some  who  have  destroyed 
their  religion  altogether.  I  mean  they  have 
surrendered  their  own  faith  and  become 

59 


atheists,  or  ethical  culturists,  or  embraced 
another  religion.  Such  apostacy  might  have 
been  expected  in  ancient  times,  in  the  face  of 
persecution,  when  men  and  women  were 
threatened  with  death  by  fire,  unless  they 
abjured  their  faith.  Then  there  might  have 
been  some  excuse  for  apostasy.  But  to  learn 
that  in  free  America,  or  in  some  of  the  other 
enlightened  countries  of  Europe,  conversion 
is  occurring  amongst  Jews  to  an  alarming 
degree,  passeth  human  understanding. 

No  wonder  the  House  of  Israel  laments 
tfie  defection  in  its  ranks.  It  feels  humili- 
ated, stung  to  the  quick,  when  it  realizes  that 
some  of  its  own  sons  and  daughters  have 
turned  traitors  to  their  faith.  There  is  an 
ancient  parable  that  describes  this  condition 
and  feelings  of  Israels.  It  runs  as  follows: 
The  wood  remonstrated  with  the  iron  and 
said:  "Why  do  you  cry  so  loud  when  you  are 
struck?  When  I  am  struck,  I  hardly  utter 
any  but  a  very  low  sound."  "Your  case  is 
different  than  mine,"  replied  the  iron. 
"When  you  are  struck  by  an  axe,  for  in- 
stance, you  are  struck  by  that  which  is  not 
of  your  own  kind.  But  when  I  am  struck 

60 


by  the  hammer,  I  am  struck  by  my  own  kind 
— hence  my  piercing  cry." 

When  children  turn  against  their  parents, 
then  is  the  hour  of  deep  parental  woe.  When 
a  friend  proves  treacherous,  then  is  the  time 
of  keen  pain  and  despair.  When  Israel's 
sons  and  daughters  are  disloyal,  criticize 
their  own  faith,  then  is  the  time  for  protest 
and  lamentation.  But  when  adults  in  Is- 
rael turn  apostates,  then  surely  does  Israel 
feel  the  agony  of  an  almost  mortal  wound. 

But  the  humiliation  becomes  more  'ag- 
gravated when  we  learn  on  what  grounds 
some  seek  conversion  to  the  dominant  faith. 
If  only  one  of  those  converts  could  say  con- 
vincingly that  he  became  converted  because 
of  conviction,  because  he  had  seen  the  error 
of  Judaism  and  the  truth  of  another  faith; 
if  only  one  of  them  could  truthfully  say  that 
Israel  erred  two  thousand  years  ago,  and 
that  it  is  now  time  for  Israel  to  acknowledge 
its  error,  there  might  be  some  solace  for  the 
defection  in  Israel,  painful  as  it  would  be  for 
the  faithful. 

But  no.  The  apostates  can  excuse  their 
action  neither  on  the  ground  of  conviction, 

61 


nor  the  error  of  Judaism.  They  stand 
charged,  that  they  seek  the  dominant  faith 
only  because  of  convenience  and  self-inter- 
est. They  sell  their  birthright  for  a  mess  of 
pottage;  they  sell  their  God  for  gold;  they 
barter  their  better  self  for  pelf. 

Some  claim  an  excuse  for  their  apostasy 
that  one  religion  is  as  good  as  another;  that 
religion,  after  all,  is  accidental,  and  that  if 
they  had  been  born  of  Christian  parents, 
they  would  have  been  Christians.  There- 
fore, they  claim,  they  will  become  converted 
in  order  to  correct  the  accidents  of  birth,  that 
at  least  their  children  might  not  be  handi- 
capped by  a  faith  that  is  unpopular.  Others 
are  bold  enough  to  claim  that  they  desire  by 
conversion  to  escape  the  prejudices  and  dis- 
crimination of  anti-Semitism,  on  the  plea 
that  they  desire  to  meet  the  world  on  equal 
terms.  Still  others  make  a  great  pretense  of 
liberalism,  and  claim  that  the  world  ought  to 
have  only  one  religion,  and  since  that  is  de- 
sirable, the  minority  should  surrender  to  the 
dominant  faith.  Complete  assimilation  as 
a  basis  for  universal  brotherhood  is  their 
plea. 

62 


All  these  so-called  reasons  are  mere  soph- 
istry. Firstly,  is  one  religion  as  good  as  an- 
other? Our  answer  is  that  Christianity  is 
just  as  good  for  the  sincere  Christian  as 
Judaism  is  for  the  true  Jew.  As  Lessing 
says  in  Nathan  the  Wise:  "Was  dich  zum 
Christen  macht,  macht  mich  zum  Juden" 
The  religion  in  which  a  man  believes  is  the 
best  for  him,  because  it  is  the  basis  of  his 
character  and  is  the  means  of  his  salvation. 
But  this  principle  does  not  hold  good  for 
the  apostate  who  changes  his  faith  as  he 
would  his  coat,  in  accordance  with  the  so- 
ciety he  wishes  to  enter.  The  mercenary 
apostate  has  no  religion  but  selfishness;  no 
God  but  an  idol  to  which  he  prostrates  him- 
self. 

Secondly,  does  the  apostate  insure  the  wel- 
fare of  his  children  by  providing  through  his 
apostasy  that  the  children  should  be  born 
in  the  environment  of  the  dominant  relig- 
ion? This  is  problematical.  There  are  cases 
on  record  of  children  who,  having  learned 
that  their  parents  were  apostates,  returned 
to  Judaism  when  they  were  able  to  judge 
for  themselves.  This  is  due  to  the  fact  that 

63. 


Jews  are  a  race,  not  merely  a  religious  com- 
munity, and  that  through  racial  character- 
istics the  Jewish  spirit  often  maintains  it- 
self. It  has  been  noted  that  once  a  Jew  al- 
ways a  Jew,  and  that  many  an  apostate  re- 
canted on  his  deathbed  and  died  with  the 
"Shema  Yisroel"  on  his  lips. 

Thirdly,  I  ask,  does  it  betoken  liberalism 
on  the  part  of  the  apostate  to  claim  that  he 
is  furthering  the  millenium  by  seeking  to  es- 
tablish only  one  religion?  The  sophistry 
here  is  clear,  when  we  realize  that  the  crea- 
tion of  a  universal  religion  is  an  impossibil- 
ity. Differences  of  religion  are  due  to  vary- 
ing conceptions  of  the  Deity,  of  duty,  ethics, 
of  ceremonialism,  rituals,  Bible  interpreta- 
tions, etc.  If  one  possesses  the  true  spirit 
of  religion  he  will  be  liberal  toward  all  faiths. 

Fourthly,  I  ask,  does  the  Jewish  apostate 
escape  the  ills  of  anti-Semitism?  He  may 
meet  with  a  certain  kind  of  formal  respect. 
But  at  heart  no  one  admires  a  renegade,  and 
if  anti-Semitism  pursued  him  before,  it  cer- 
tainly will  not  permit  him  to  escape  after 
conversion.  When  it  becomes  known  that  a 
convert  adopted  another  faith  not  from  con- 

64 


viction,  but  from  mercenary  or  some  other 
ulterior  motives,  the  apostasy  acts  as  a  boom- 
erang, and  the  anti-Semitism  which  he  tried 
to  throw  off  recoils  upon  his  own  head  with 
doubled  force. 

Is  the  apostate  right  in  regarding  it  a  mis- 
fortune to  be  a  Jew?  The  answer  depends 
on  the  term  "misfortune."  To  many  Juda- 
ism has  been  an  asset,  a  source  of  spiritual 
strength  which  could  be  found  for  the  true 
Jew  in  no  other  religion.  And  even  if  the 
survival  of  Judaism  is  coupled  with  some  in- 
convenience at  times,  or  even  embarrassing 
becomes  instead  of  a  hindrance,  an  incentive 
for  the  cultivation  of  the  courage  of  his  con- 
viction. Can  any  Jew  regard  it  as  a  misfor- 
tune to  be  descended  from  the  prophets  of 
Israel,  from  the  makers  of  the  Bible,  from 
the  first  preacher  of  that  monotheism  which 
a  great  part  of  the  world  to-day  acknowl- 
edges. Disraeli,  at  the  acme  of  his  career, 
took  a  pride  in  referring  to  his  Jewish  origin 
and  did  not  regard  his  relation  to  the  Jewish 
people  as  a  misfortune. 

The  apostate's  plea  that  he  believes  in 
thorough  assimilation  with  the  country  in 

65 


which  he  lives  in  order  to  carry  out  the  idea 
of  perfect  nationalism  or  cosmopolitanism  is 
also  untenable.  Cosmopolitanism  has  refer- 
ence to  social  and  civic  or  political  affilia- 
tions. Every  good  government  recognizes 
the  possibility  of  patriotism  coupled  with  in- 
dependence of  religious  convictions  and 
practice.  No  good  government  insists  on 
assimilation  to  the  extent  of  a  surrender  of 
an  individaul's  conscientious  religious  prin- 
ciples or  scruples.  When  the  Jewish  convert 
seeks  to  excuse  his  apostasy  on  the  plea  of 
perfect  assimilation,  he  makes  himself  guilty 
of  sophistication  for  the  purpose  of  befud- 
dling the  issue. 

Thus  we  see  that  the  arguments  of  the 
apostate  fail  because  the  following  points  are 
established. 

1st,  that  one  religion  is  not  as  good  as  an- 
other, unless  coupled  with  sincere  belief 
therein. 

2nd,  that  the  apostate  does  not  insure  the 
welfare  of  his  children  by  his  conversion. 

3rd,  that  one  universal  religion  is  impos- 
sible, and  that  liberalism  means  toleration  of 
all  religions. 

66 


UN! 

4th,  that  the  renegade  does  not  escape  the 
evils  of  anti-Semitism. 

5th,  that  it  is  not  a  misfortune  to  be  a  Jew, 
and 

6th,  that  assimilation  does  not  require  sur- 
render of  faith. 

But  the  case  against  the  apostate  is  still 
stronger  when  we  consider  the  fact  that  a 
few  years  ago  the  late  Bishop  Potter  op- 
posed establishing  a  Christian  mission  on 
the  East  Side  to  convert  the  Jews,  because 
he  held  that  such  an  act  would  be  an  insult 
to  the  intelligence  of  the  Jews  and  because 
the  Jews  could  take  care  of  themselves. 
Other  great  non-Jews  have  time  and  again 
expressed  their  esteem  for  the  religion  of 
Israel,  and  have  admired  the  consistency  of 
the  Jew  and  his  martyrdom  for  conviction 
in  the  face  of  great  trials. 

Instead  of  surrendering  our  faith  because 
of  anti-Semitism  or  hardship  in  breaking 
down  prejudice,  there  is  every  reason  why 
a  Jew  should  be  faithful  to  his  Judaism. 
We  should  remain  Jews, 

Firstly.  Because  no  religion  has  yet  been 
established  that  is  superior  to  it. 

67 


Secondly.  Because  the  belief  in  one  God 
and  His  law  is  fundamental  to  all  monothe- 
istic religions,  and  this  thought  has  been 
taken  from  Judaism. 

Thirdly.  Because  we  are  Jews  for  the 
sake  of  principles,  not  worldly  gain.  We  are 
like  servants  who  serve  their  master  without 
Ihe  expectation  of  reward. 

Fourthly.  Because  if  we  did  desire 
worldly  recognition,  we  could  find  it  better 
by  remaining  true  to  our  faith  than  by  re- 
nouncing it. 

Fifthly.  Because  Jews  can  be  better  citi- 
zens by  being  better  Jews ;  because  they  will 
win  the  respect  of  mankind  by  sacrifices  for 
God  and  humanity. 

Sixthly.  Because  Judaism  still  has  a 
great  mission  in  the  world.  The  war  has 
proven  how  all  ideals  of  religion,  of  culture, 
and  civilization  have  failed  in  a  world  crisis. 
Something  is  wrong  with  the  world's  relig- 
ions, with  civilization.  Perhaps  Judaism 
possesses  some  panacea  for  the  ills  of  man- 
kind. 

This  is  a  time  to  stand  firm — this  time  of 
world  carnage,  when  the  world  is  combative, 

68 


nation  fighting  against  nation  and  all  are 
learning  the  art  of  war;  this  is  the  time  for 
the  Jew  to  be  staunch.  Stand  by  your  God, 
your  race,  your  country,  your  religion,  your 
rabbis,  your  Bible,  your  prophets,  your  prin- 
ciples, and  ideals.  Whilst  the  world  is  all 
agog  is  not  the  time  to  leave  the  tried  and 
true  moorings  of  our  ancient  faith.  Let  us 
remain  Jews,  for  we  can  help  bringing  about 
the  millenium  of  universal  peace  with  liberty, 
equality,  and  fraternity  for  all  nations. 

Just  at  this  crucial  hour  of  the  world  his- 
tory, more  than  ever,  is  the  time  to  cling  close 
to  the  ancient  moorings.  Surrender  not  one 
title  of  Israel's  faith.  We  need  a  militant, 
progressive  Israel  to-day.  We  need  Ezras, 
Nehemiahs,  Mordecais,  Esthers,  Maccabees, 
who  were  inspired  to  lead  the  people.  As- 
cend the  broken  walls  of  your  faith,  O  Israel. 
Repair  the  breaches.  Like  the  builders  and 
fighters  of  old,  take  a  trowel  in  one  hand  and 
a  sword  in  the  other.  Rebuild  the  spiritual 
walls  and  fight  against  the  enemy  from 
within,  as  well  as  against  the  enemy  from 
without.  And  from  God  will  come  the 
victory  for  the  faithful. 

69 


REVIVAL  OF  THE  JEWISH  HOME 

"Unless  the  Lord  build  the   house,  in  vain  labor  those 
who  build  on  it." 

(Psalm  CXXVII,  1.) 

The  implication  in  this  text  is,  that  despite 
great  efforts  many  fail  to  build  a  real  home, 
a  Jewish  home,  and  that  they  fail  because 
they  have  no  God  in  their  minds  or  hearts. 

The  stability  and  comfort  of  the  tradi- 
tional Jewish  home  whose  praises  have  been 
voiced  by  Heine  and  other  writers,  notably 
also  by  Israel  Abraham  in  his  "Jewish  Life 
in  the  Middle  Ages,"  have  sprung  from  the 
love  of  God  which  permeated  the  husband 
and  wife. 

I  have  sometimes  been  asked  to  describe 
definitely  what  a  Jewish  Home  is.  In  what 
respect  does  it  differ  from  any  other  home? 
There  is  only  one  answer :  a  Jewish  home  is 
one  built  up  by  Jews,  true  Jews,  who  believe 
in  God  and  practice  the  Jewish  religion. 
Those  who  are  Jews  in  name  only,  who  have 
no  faith  and  no  regard  for  the  synagogue, 

71 


may  build  themselves  a  home,  a  gilded  man- 
sion, if  you  please,  but  it  will  not  be  a  Jewish 
Home.  To  be  more  specific,  I  would  say, 
that  a  Jewish  home  is  characterized  not  so 
much  by  special  visible  forms  as  by  a  dis- 
tinctively Jewish  spirit,  a  spirit  of  reverence 
for  God  and  for  sacred  things,  as  well  as  of 
loyalty  to  the  house  of  Israel,  to  certain  Jew- 
ish ideals,  purposes,  and  interests.  By  way 
of  illustration,  let  us  ask,  what  constitutes 
an  American  Home?  Not  the  American 
flag  or  pictures  of  Washington  and  Lincoln 
that  one  may  find  there,  but  rather  a  spirit 
of  patriotism,  a  love  of  our  country,  its  laws 
and  free  institutions,  its  people,  its  heroes, 
its  history,  literature,  the  high  resolve  to  do 
one's  duty  to  country  in  the  home  or  out- 
side thereof.  In  the  present  national  emerg- 
ency, it  is  the  spirit  of  devotion  in  the  home 
to  conservation  of  food  and  fuel,  to  neces- 
sary economy,  to  a  grim  determination  to 
be  brave  and  make  sacrifices,  to  urging  on 
the  volunteer,  to  helping  the  soldiers  at  the 
front,  to  aiding  all  our  countrymen  and 
allies  to  win  this  war  for  humanity;  it  is  all 
these  characteristics  combined  that  consti- 
tute an  American  Home. 

72 


Now,  if  in  such  an  American  home  we  find 
also  a  certain  Jewish  spirit  that  manifests  it- 
self in  reverence  for  God  and  things  sacred, 
as  well  as  loyalty  to  Israel,  we  have  the  be- 
ginnings of  a  Jewish  Home.  Such  a  Jewish 
spirit  would  mold  the  thoughts  and  feelings 
of  its  members  and  condition  many  of  their 
acts.  It  would,  firstly,  induce  the  father  and 
mother  of  the  family  to  voice  the  command 
of  Jacob  to  his  household  to  "put  away  the 
strange  gods  from  their  midst."  Like 
Hezekiah  they  would  seek  to  break  down  the 
heathen  altars  that  are  practically  found  in 
many  so-called  Jewish  Homes.  Strange 
gods  and  heathen  altars  in  Jewish  homes? 
It  is  incredible.  Yet  it  is  a  fact.  Would 
you  expect  an  American  home  to  halt  be- 
tween two  flags?  How  long  do  you  expect 
a  Jewish  home  to  endure  that  halts  between 
two  gods,  that  worships  at  two  shrines,  that 
flirts  with  other  religions? 

A  true  Jewish  spirit  would  change  that 
hybrid  aspect  of  religion  in  the  home  and 
foster  a  love  for  some  tangible  forms  of 
Judaism.  In  the  traditional  Jewish  home 
there  may  still  be  found  the  Mezuzah  on  the 

73 


doorposts,  the  Sabbath  lamp,  the  Hanukkah 
lamp,  the  Kiddush  cup,  the  Shield  of  David, 
Biblical  or  other  Jewish  pictures,  a  Hebrew 
calendar  or  Yahrzeit  tablet.  These  symbols 
or  emblems  of  Judaism  could  be  made  to 
serve  a  definitely  spiritual  purpose  to-day, 
even  in  a  home  permeated  with  the  modern 
spirit.  And  there  is  urgent  reason  why  the 
Bible  and  some  books  on  Jewish  history 
and  literature  should  be  found  in  every  Jew- 
ish home,  why  these  should  be  read  and  dis- 
cussed there.  And  there  ought  to  be  a  re- 
vival of  some  forms  and  ceremonies,  either  a 
prayer  at  stated  times,  or  the  proper  induc- 
tion of  the  Sabbath  on  Friday  night,  the 
home  celebration  of  Purim,  Hanukkah, 
Passover,  and  Sukkoth.  Those  who  remem- 
ber the  spirit  of  festivity  and  holy  joy  that 
pervaded  the  former  Jewish  home  on  the 
Sabbath  or  a  holiday,  will  yearn  for  a  re- 
vival of  those  ceremonies  that  breathed  new 
life  into  the  family  and  brought  its  members 
closer  together,  as  well  as  nearer  to  God,  to 
Israel,  and  Humanity. 

I  believe  in  modernism — to  a  certain  ex- 
tent.   I  believe,  also,  that  we  have  permitted 

74 


our  homes  to  be  secularized  too  much.  Secu- 
larism is  the  curse  of  the  modern  Jewish 
home.  Let  me  give  you  an  instance  of  this. 
I  have  seen  the  old-fashioned  six-pronged 
Sabbath  lamp  fitted  up  with  electric  bulbs, 
and  on  Friday  night,  instead  of  filling  the 
lamp  with  oil  and  lighting  the  old-fashioned 
taper,  the  master  of  the  house  presses  a  but- 
ton and  six  flaming  electric  lights  herald  the 
Sabbath.  But  the  effect  is  not  the  same. 
The  flavor  of  antiquity  is  missing,  the  tie 
that  bound  us  to  the  olden  days  is  broken 
by  that  rude  grafting  of  modernity  upon  a 
quaint,  beautiful,  old  custom. 

But  this  is  only  an  indication  of  how  secu- 
larization of  the  home  has  gradually  driven 
out  the  former  Jewish  spirit.  You  hear  no 
Hebrew  word  in  many  homes,  and  no  Jewish 
melody.  Everything  Jewish  is  taboo.  No 
Bible,  no  prayer  book,  no  Jewish  magazine 
or  paper,  can  be  found  in  a  secular  home  of 
the  ultra-radical  Jew.  And  with  the  loss  of 
the  Jewish  spirit  much  of  the  loyalty  to 
Israel,  its  ideal,  its  purpose,  and  interest, 
has  passed  away  and  fidelity  to  synagogue 
and  Jewish  institutions  has  been  impaired. 

75 


It  is  no  wonder  then  that  even  the  beauti- 
ful ceremony  of  remembering  the  dead  by 
the  recital  of  the  Kaddish,  a  custom  that  has 
been  honored  by  the  deepest  sentiment  of 
the  heart,  has  also  been  touched  by  the  sacri- 
legious hands  of  the  radical  skeptic. 

But  the  greatest  harm  of  the  all  too  rapid 
secularization  of  the  Jewish  home  has  been 
done  to  the  young.  The  older  people  have 
still  lurking  in  their  souls  some  of  the  an- 
cient afflatus  of  religion  and  Jewishness. 
But  the  younger  generation  who  are  brought 
up  in  secularized  homes  have  no  opportunity 
of  breathing  the  real  spirit  of  Judaism.  You 
cannot  create  the  same  spirit  for  the  young 
in  a  school  or  the  synagogue.  Religion  is 
in  the  first  instance  a  matter  of  the  home,  of 
the  family.  And  the  child  inherits  his  re- 
ligion as  he  does  his  family  and  the  family 
name  and  reputation.  He  breathes  in  his 
religion  by  virtue  of  the  religious  spirit  that 
pervades  the  home  and  by  force  of  the  re- 
ligious examples  he  sees  there.  The  child 
is  not  born  a  Jew,  but  is  made  a  Jew  by  the 
Jewish  home  in  which  he  is  brought  up  and 
trained.  The  Jewish  home  is  the  Alma 

76 


Mater  of  the  Jew.  Israel  Abrahams  in  his 
Jewish  Life  in  the  Middle  Ages,  while 
speaking  of  the  effects  of  persecution  on 
Judaism,  says, 

"Home  religion  became  an  etiquette,  a 
provincial  code  of  manners  against  foreign 
intrusion.  Then,  with  the  close  of  the  eigh- 
teenth century,  came  one  touch  of  the  mod- 
ern spirit,  and  lo!  the  evil  humours  fled  one 
by  one  into  the  night  and  'The  Tree  of  Life* 
revived,  erect  and  expansive.  For  its  roots 
were  fixed  in  the  home,  and  the  Jewish 
Home,  whatever  its  faults  and  limitations, 
was  never  tainted  with  moral  corruption." 

Our  ancient  sages  and  rabbis  understood 
the  psychology  of  Home  influence,  and 
therefore  they  insisted  on  the  practice  of 
home  ceremonies.  Therefore  Moses  com- 
manded his  people,  "Thou  shalt  teach  these 
laws  diligently  to  thy  children  and  shalt  talk 
of  them,  when  thou  sittest  in  thine  house, 
when  thou  walkest  by  the  way,  when  thou 
liest  down,  and  when  thou  risest  up."  Home 
religion  is  the  best  religious  instruction  for 
the  child. 

To-day,  alas,  we  have  this  great  and  dis- 


tressing  anomaly  presented,  that  the  child 
is  sent  to  the  religious  school  where  he  is 
taught  his  religion,  and,  when  he  goes  home 
he  finds  much  of  the  instruction  he  received 
violated.  He  is  told  to  keep  the  Sabbath, 
which  he  sees  transgressed  by  his  parents  and 
elders.  The  same  is  true  with  regard  to  the 
holidays  and  the  ceremonies  of  Passover, 
Yom  Kippur,  Sukkoth,  Purim,  and  Hanuk- 
kah.  The  child  is  told  to  believe  in  God  and 
prayer,  but  in  many  cases  he  finds  no  God 
and  no  prayer  in  his  home.  He  is  told  that 
Judaism  has  a  mission  to  free  the  world  from 
idolatry  and  he  finds  idolatry,  the  worship 
of  Mammon,  in  his  home.  He  is  told  to 
love  Israel,  the  Bible,  Jewish  history  and 
literature,  the  heroes  and  martyrs  of  Israel, 
but  in  his  home  often  these  subjects  are 
scoffed  at,  and  he  is  reminded  by  some  elders 
that  we  are  living  in  the  twentieth  century 
and  must  only  revere  Washington  and  Lin- 
coln and  not  think  so  much  of  the  Maccabees 
and  Mordecai  and  Esther. 

That  inconsistency  between  the  secularized 
Jewish  home  and  the  instruction  of  the 
Synagogue  and  School  is  one  of  the  sever- 

78 


est  blows  to  Modern  Judaism.  Israel  Abra- 
ham says  of  the  ancient  Jewish  home:  "It 
was  a  haven  of  rest  from  the  storms  that 
raged  around  the  very  gates  of  the  ghettos, 
nay,  a  fairy  palace  in  which  the  bespattered 
objects  of  the  world's  derision  threw  off  their 
garb  of  shame  and  resumed  the  royal  attire 
of  freemen.  The  home  was  the  place  where 
the  Jew  was  at  his  best." 

Yes,  and  we  may  add,  the  Jewish  home 
was  the  fortress  of  Israel,  the  citadel  of 
Judaism.  There  the  Jew  was  safe  from  the 
mailed  fist  and  the  cold  world.  There  he 
nurtured  his  faith  and  brought  up  his  chil- 
dren to  love  God  and  his  family,  his  people, 
his  religion  and  humanity.  No  matter  how 
the  world  outside  raged  against  him  and 
tempted  him  from  his  faith,  in  his  home  the 
Jew  recovered  his  poise.  No  matter  how 
Jewish  children  may  have  felt  humiliated  by 
meeting  aspersion  against  their  faith  and 
people  in  the  world  outside,  in  the  Jewish 
home  the  children  regained  their  self-respect 
and  strengthened  their  Jewish  consciousness. 

But  what  bulwark  does  the  secular  home 
afford  to  Jewish  children  to-day  who  meet, 

79 


perchance,  with  the  flings  of  anti-Semitism 
and  the  rebuffs  of  the  ignorant  and  preju- 
diced? It  is  no  wonder  that  many  of  the 
young  drift  from  the  ancient  moorings! 
When  we  lose  the  Jewish  home,  we  lose  the 
antidote  to  the  poison  of  prejudice,  ridicule, 
discrimination,  and  other  forms  of  anti- 
Semitism. 

Our  friends  tell  us  to  draw  the  people  to 
the  synagogue  and  the  children  to  the 
school.  But  that  is  not  the  remedy  for  the 
present  emergency.  It  is  beginning  at  the 
wrong  end.  We  are  now  preaching  in 
synagogue  and  school,  but  our  preaching  is 
negatived  and  thus  neutralized  by  the  secu- 
lar home.  We  must  begin  at  the  other 
end  and  bring  religion  back  to  the  Jewish 
home,  or  all  efforts  of  synagogue  and  school 
will  fail.  The  Jewish  home  is  the  source  of 
Jewish  enthusiasm  and  loyalty.  We  must 
revive  the  Jewish  home  and  restore  the  altar 
of  our  faith  there,  make  of  every  father  and 
mother  a  priest  and  priestess  ministering  at 
the  family  hearth.  We  must  turn  back  the 
hearts  of  the  parents  to  the  children  and  the 
hearts  of  the  children  to  the  parents. 

80 


When  Israel  fought  against  the  Amali- 
kites,  the  arms  of  Moses  held  up  in  prayer, 
in  order  that  Israel  might  prevail,  were  sus- 
tained by  Hur  and  Aaron.  The  modern 
Rabbi  is  fighting  secularism,  anti-Semitism, 
and  irreligion,  but  in  order  that  he  may  pre- 
vail, the  congregation  and  the  home  must, 
like  Hur  and  Aaron,  uphold  his  arms. 

In  a  word,  the  paramount  duty  of  a  con- 
gregation that  seeks  the  renaissance  of  Juda- 
ism, is  to  revive  the  Jewish  home.  But  in 
order  to  accomplish  this,  God  must  be  put 
back  in  the  Jewish  home,  and  then  will  its 
pristine  beauty,  and  glory,  its  unity,  joy  and 
peace  be  established.  "Unless  the  Lord 
build  the  home,  in  vain  labor  those  who  built 
on  it." 


81 


THE  REVIVAL  OF  SABBATH 
OBSERVANCE 

"The  children  of  Israel  shall  keep  the  Sabbath  and  ob- 
serve it  throughout  all  generations.  It  is  a  sign  of  an 
everlasting  covenant  between  me  and  the  children  of  Israel 
saith  the  Lord." 

(Exodus  XXXI,  16  and  17.) 

In  all  synagogues  throughout  the  world 
this  text  is  read  at  every  Friday  evening 
service.  Because  of  an  appreciation  of  its 
truth  and  importance  it  has  been  retained  in 
the  Union  Prayer  Book.  In  addition  to 
that  the  Prayer  book  contains  also  these 
significant  words,  "Oh,  help  us  to  preserve 
the  Sabbath  as  Israel's  heritage  from  gen- 
eration to  generation,  that  it  may  ever  bring 
rest  and  joy,  peace  and  comfort  to  the  dwell- 
ings of  our  brethren  and  through  it  thy  name 
be  hallowed  in  all  the  earth." 

And  just  as  persistently  as  these  passages 
are  recited,  so  are  they  violated.  Israel  pre- 
sents no  greater  anomaly  to-day  than  this 
public,  deliberate,  flagrant  inconsistency  of 

83 


professing  to  stand  for  the  Sabbath  and 
then,  by  acts,  of  contradicting  and  nullifying 
this  profession.  It  is  astounding  that  a  re- 
ligion should  thus  negate  one  of  its  funda- 
mental principles  in  the  very  movement  of 
avowing  it.  We  organize  congregations  and 
build  synagogues  and  splendid  temples  for 
the  preservation  of  Judaism  and  then  delib- 
erately destroy  the  Sabbath  for  which  the 
synagogues  were  built  and  which  is  necessary 
for  the  salvation  of  our  religion. 

In  vain  are  all  synagogues  and  temples, 
all  religious  schools,  societies  and  classes,  in 
vain  all  preaching  and  teaching,  unless  we 
have  a  Sabbath.  The  Sabbath  is  the  corner 
stone  of  Judaism,  not  its  superstructure. 
Without  the  Sabbath  all  efforts  for  the  re- 
habilitation of  Judaism  is  like  the  ineffectual 
flapping  of  a  butterfly  in  the  midst  of  a 
cyclone. 

"The  Sabbath  is  the  sign  of  an  everlasting 
covenant  between  God  and  Israel."  That  is 
the  all-important  fact  which  we  must  keep 
before  us  and  bring  home  to  our  congrega- 
tions. It  is  the  embodiment  of  all  that  Juda- 
ism stands  for.  It  was  so  regarded  by  Moses 

84 


and  on  that  account  Sabbath  breakers  were 
threatened  with  the  punishment  of  death  in 
the  Mosaic  code.  Though  perhaps  this  ex- 
treme penalty  was  hardly  ever  executed,  still 
the  Sabbath  breaker  was  held  in  contempt 
by  ancient  Israel  and  looked  upon  as  a 
traitor  to  our  sacred  cause. 

And  why?  Because  the  Sabbath  was  re- 
garded as  a  distinguishing  mark  of  a  Jew, 
as  an  outward  expression  of  his  beliefs  and 
practices,  of  his  loyalty  to  God  and  Israel. 
When  he  violated  the  Sabbath  it  followed 
that  he  practically  denounced  his  former  be- 
liefs and  defied  God  and  Israel. 

In  interpreting  the  Sabbath  as  a  link  be- 
tween God  and  Israel,  it  must  be  remem- 
bered that  the  Sabbath,  as  a  day  sacred  to 
Jehovah,  was  a  possession  of  Israel  and  dis- 
tinguished Israel  from  other  nations.  Whilst 
other  nations  kept  their  Sabbath  in  honor 
of  Saturn  or  another  planetary  deity,  Israel 
consecrated  the  day  to  Jehovah,  to  its  con- 
ception of  the  spirituality,  unity  and  univer- 
sality of  God. 

The  Sabbath  and  Israel's  conception  of 
God  and  religion  are  inseparable.  Let  us 

85 


pursue  this  thought  as  follows:  Judaism  re- 
gards God  as  an  ever  active  cause  of  the  Uni- 
verse. God  does  not  sit  idly  by  and  behold 
the  Universe  work,  but  lives  and  acts  in  and 
through  it.  Man  shall  imitate  God.  He 
shall  not  be  an  idle  being,  indifferent  to  the 
world  about  him,  but  an  active  being,  identi- 
fied with  its  welfare  and  processes  of  thought 
and  action.  Yet  man  shall  not  lose  his  iden- 
tity and  become  a  slave  to  his  own  activity. 
He  shall  complete  each  week's  work  in  six 
days  and  on  the  seventh  declare  himself  free 
from  earth  and  rise  upward  to  God  by  sanc- 
tifying his  soul.  In  this  sense  the  Sabbath 
became  a  visible,  tangible  protest  against 
slavery,  materialism  and  idolatry.  Further, 
the  Sabbath  practically  is  a  declaration  of 
freedom  and  spirituality  as  well  as  sancti- 
fication  to  higher  ideals,  which  are  identical 
with  a  recognition  of  Divinity.  The  Sab- 
bath— by  ennobling  man,  by  raising  him 
above  the  animal  and  lower  passions,  by 
bringing  recreation  and  sanctification,  caus- 
ing the  godlike,  the  higher  self,  to  reign  on 
earth,  as  God  reigns  throughout  the  uni- 
verse, must  certainly  lead  to  only  one  result, 

86 


that  the  Sabbath  is  an  everlasting  link  be- 
tween God  and  man,  between  God  and 
Israel. 

This  idea  of  the  Sabbath  as  a  link  between 
God  and  Israel  becomes  clearer  and  more 
convincing  when  we  compare  it  to  some  con- 
ceptions of  life.  The  Greek  regards  the 
world  as  the  highest  existence,  and  loses  his 
identity  therein.  The  Indian  regards  the 
world  as  sin,  a  falling  from  grace,  from 
which  state  we  should  flee  as  from  something 
unclean.  But  the  Jew  neither  shuns  the 
world,  nor  loses  himself  therein,  but  retains 
his  identity  and  individuality,  for  the  Sab- 
bath restores  his  spiritual  balance  or  equi- 
librium. Some  have  thought  the  conception 
of  the  Sabbath  to  be  a  fleeing  from  the 
world,  a  negation  of  all  that  is  world  or  ma- 
terial. That  is  the  Puritan  conception.  But 
according  to  Judaism  the  Sabbath  symbol- 
izes our  regard  for  the  world,  in  harmony 
with  our  regard  for  God,  the  Master  of  the 
Universe.  Man  should  seek  to  accomplish 
his  share  of  the  world's  work  in  such  a  man- 
ner as  to  gain  the  blessing  of  God  and  man. 

Judaism  contemplates  the  Sabbath  as  a 

87 


means  for  the  spiritual  and  moral  develop- 
ment of  man,  awakening  in  him  a  self-con- 
scious-yearning for  a  higher  life,  dominated 
by  divine  manifestation  of  intellect,  feeling 
and  will,  in  fact,  as  a  link  between  God  and 
the  higher  man  and  hence  as  a  sign  of  the 
covenant  between  God  and  Israel.  The 
prophets  all  conceived  the  Sabbath  from  this 
lofty  standpoint  and  insisted  upon  its  proper 
observance.  Amos,  Ezekiel,  Jeremiah  are 
emphatic  in  their  denunciation  of  Sabbath 
desecration,  but  it  remains  for  Isaiah  to 
sound  the  strong  prediction  that  Israel's 
final  glory  depends  upon  a  proper  regard  for 
the  day.  His  insignificant  call  is  as  follows : 
"If  thou  turn  away  thy  foot  from  the  Sab- 
bath, from  doing  thy  pleasure  on  my  holy 
day;  and  call  the  Sabbath  a  delight,  the  holy 
of  the  Lord  honorable,  and  shalt  honor  him, 
by  not  doing  thine  own  ways,  nor  finding 
thine  own  pleasure,  nor  speaking  thine  own 
words, 

"Then  shalt  thou  delight  thyself  in  the 
Lord:  and  I  shall  cause  thee  to  ride  upon 
the  high  places  of  the  earth  and  feed  thee 
with  the  heritage  of  Jacob,  thy  father,  for 


the  mouth  of  the  Lord  hath  spoken  it." — Is. 
58,  14. 

This  idea  of  the  Sabbath  is  borne  out  by 
the  Talmud,  where  we  find  such  comments 
as  the  following:  "Whosoever  observes  the 
Sabbath  testifies  to  God's  creation  of  the 
world."  "The  Sabbath  is  balanced  against 
the  whole  law."  "One  who  violates  the  Sab- 
bath violates  the  whole  law."  "If  one  ob- 
serves the  Sabbath  rigidly  though  he  has 
practised  idolatry  his  sin  is  forgiven."  (The 
thought  here  is  that  Sabbath  observance  is 
a  negation  of  idolatry. )  "Whoever  observes 
the  Sabbath  has  done  as  much  as  if  he  had 
created  it."  (The  thought  is  that  he  con- 
tributes to  preserve  it. ) 

To  further  teach  the  importance  of  the 
Sabbath  the  Talmud  has  this  beautiful  leg- 
end. "Two  angels,  one  good  and  the  other 
evil,  accompany  every  Jew  on  Sabbath  eve 
from  the  synagogue  to  his  home.  If  the 
Sabbath  lamp  is  found  lighted  and  the  table 
spread,  the  good  angel  prays  that  this  may 
be  the  case  also  on  the  following  Sabbath 
and  the  evil  angel  is  compelled  to  say 
"Amen."  But  if  no  preparations  for  the 

19 


Sabbath  are  seen,  the  evil  angel  pronounces 
a  curse  and  the  good  angel  is  compelled  to 
say  "Amen."  The  meaning  is  obvious;  a 
proper  observance  of  the  Sabbath  in  the 
home  gives  it  a  festive  and  sanctified  spirit 
and  turns  all  evil  into  good.  With  the  Sab- 
bath, God  and  peace  enter  the  home  and 
prepare  a  good  influence  for  the  coming 
week. 

Some  will  perhaps  recall  the  Friday  even- 
ing at  home  of  their  youth.  The  Sabbath 
was  welcomed  with  the  Sabbath  light,  and 
the  father,  returning  from  the  Synagogue, 
blessed  his  family.  There  were  prayers  and 
wine  for  sanctification  of  the  Day.  Good 
cheer  and  singing  added  to  the  enjoyment 
of  the  festive  evening  hour. 

With  the  Sabbath,  God  and  peace  enter 
the  home.  And  if  this  process  is  preserved 
in  every  Jewish  home,  then  will  love  and 
peace  reign  throughout  Israel.  Said  an  an- 
cient Rabbi,  "If  all  Israel  were  to  observe 
two  successive  Sabbaths  as  they  should  be 
observed,  that  is,  by  spiritual  sanctification 
and  the  worship  of  God  at  home  and  in 
Synagogue,  redemption  would  ensue  at 

90 


once."  "If  even  one  Sabbath  were  rightly 
kept,"  said  another  Rabbi,  "the  Messiah 
would  appear." 

Because  the  Sabbath  was  regarded  of 
such  vital  importance  to  Judaism,  the  law 
enjoining  it  was  by  Moses  placed  in  the  Ten 
Commandments,  which  stand  as  the  embodi- 
ment of  all  that  is  fundamental  in  Judaism. 
Because  the  preservation  of  the  Sabbath  was 
so  important  to  the  future  of  Judaism  and 
Israel  its  desecration  was  severely  punished. 
And  thirdly  because  with  a  strict  observance 
of  the  Sabbath  Judaism  would  prevail  there- 
fore in  generations  past  Jews  made  great 
sacrifices  to  preserve  it.  The  enemies  of  Israel 
who  endeavored  to  destroy  Judaism,  realiz- 
ing the  strength  and  value  of  the  Sabbath, 
persecuted  Sabbath  observers.  Antioch 
Epiphanes  issued  decrees  against  the  Jews 
and  declared  the  observance  of  the  Sabbath 
and  every  Jewish  law  to  be  a  capital  offence. 
Many  Jews  suffered  death  rather  than  vio- 
late the  Sabbath,  even  by  self-defence  on 
that  day.  The  faithful  became  martyrs 
while  the  weak  gave  up  Sabbath  observance 
and  were  lost  to  Judaism.  A  second  form 

91 


of  persecution  consisted  of  the  inimical  and 
sarcastic  writings  of  Roman  and  Greek  au- 
thors against  the  Sabbath.  Then  came 
Christianity  and  instituted  Sunday  as  its  day 
of  rest  and  worship,  and  the  antagonism  be- 
tween the  Jewish  and  the  Christian  Sabbath 
became  intense  and  bitter.  It  is  unneces- 
sary to  pursue  this  antagonism  further.  It 
exists  to  this  very  day  and  is  patent  to  all. 
Because  of  the  dispersion  of  Israel  through- 
out the  world,  because  of  the  almost  univer- 
sal acceptance  of  Sunday  as  a  day  of  rest 
and  the  conversion  of  Saturday  into  an  im- 
portant business  day,  the  Jews  have  practi- 
cally lost  their  Sabbath.  And  with  Sabbath 
desecration  has  come  a  corresponding  weak- 
ening of  Judaism. 

It  requires  no  further  argument  to  drive 
home  the  thought  that  the  preservation  of 
Judaism  depends  on  the  Sabbath.  Surren- 
der the  Sabbath  and  all  that  is  vital  to  Juda- 
ism falls.  We  need  the  Sabbath  in  our  time 
to  testify  to  Israel's  fidelity  to  our  cause. 
The  Sabbath  makes  the  Synagogue.  With- 
out it  the  Synagogue  stands  empty  and  the 
opportunity  for  public  instruction  and  wor- 

92 


ship  is  greatly  impaired.  We  need  the  Sab- 
bath to  strengthen  the  religious  conscious- 
ness of  the  Jew  and  give  him  an  ideal  to  up- 
hold. We  need  the  Sabbath  to  reinstitute 
thereby  religion  in  the  life  of  the  individual 
and  the  home.  We  need  the  Sabbath  as  a 
link  between  God  and  Israel.  And  finally 
we  need  the  Sabbath  as  a  tie  that  unites  all 
Israel.  The  Sunday  will  not  serve  as  a  sub- 
stitute. It  lacks  historical  authority  and  can- 
not borrow  its  sanctity  from  secular  legisla- 
tion. Instead  of  unifying  Israel  it  would 
serve  to  create  a  schism. 

How  then  can  we  revive  Sabbath  Observ- 
ance? That  is  the  practical  question  before 
us.  It  can  only  be  done  by  united  effort  on 
the  part  of  all  members  and  officers  of  the 
congregation.  Once  let  them  be  convinced 
of  the  absolute  necessity  of  Sabbath  observ- 
ance for  the  preservation  of  Judaism;  once 
let  them  realize  the  anomalous  position  of  a 
congregation  that  supports  a  vast  Temple 
only  for  ornamental  purposes,  and  for  a 
camouflage  religion;  once  let  them  compre- 
hend what  a  stultification  in  the  eyes  of  the 
world  it  is  for  a  congregation  to  open  the 

93 


doors  of  its  synagogue  for  worship  on  the 
Sabbath  and  then  for  the  great  bulk  of  the 
Congregation  to  spend  the  Sabbath  in  un- 
necessary business  or  in  idle  pursuits  and 
pastimes,  and  all  officers  and  members  will 
unitedly  give  up  Sabbath  desecration  and 
rally  to  the  upholding  of  our  ancient  insti- 
tution. 

If  the  elders  will  set  an  example  of  Sab- 
bath Observance,  it  will  be  followed  by  the 
children.  Time  was  when  every  parent 
brought  his  children  to  the  synagogue  and 
taught  them  by  precept  and  example  to 
know  God  and  obey  His  law.  Time  was 
when  Jews  practiced  what  they  preached 
and  professed.  Then  they  had  a  Sabbath 
and  there  was  no  question  as  to  the  drawing 
powers  of  the  pulpit.  We  are  fallen  into  low 
straits  indeed  when  God  is  no  more  an  at- 
traction in  the  synagogue,  but  when  forsooth 
congregations  worship  not  God  in  the  syna- 
gogue, but  a  fine  singer  or  a  sensational  ora- 
tor. 

Let  Israel  bestir  itself.  It  needs  refor- 
mation, the  very  kind  of  reformation  that  a 
Sabbath  alone  can  give,  namely,  sanctifica- 

94 


tion  of  the  spirit,  consecration  to  lofty  ideals, 
a  surrender  to  God  and  all  that  is  divine  in 
thought,  feeling  and  act.  Whereas  the  Sab- 
bath is  the  link  between  Israel  and  God,  let 
us  re-establish  that  link,  and  bind  ourselves 
again  in  thought  and  deed  to  our  God.  In 
the  words  of  Isaiah,  let  us  turn  away  our 
feet  from  the  Sabbath,  let  us  call  the  Sab- 
bath a  delight,  the  holy  of  the  Lord  honor- 
able. 


95 


REVIVAL  OF  JEWISH  FESTIVALS 

"These  are  the   festivals  of  the  Lord,  even  holy  convo- 
cations which  ye  shall  proclaim  in  their  se'asons." 

(Lev.  XXIII,  4.) 

The  festivals  which  are  then  enumerated 
in  the  twenty-third  chapter  of  the  Book  of 
Leviticus  are  Passover,  Shabuoth  or  the 
Feast  of  Weeks,  Succoth  or  the  Feast  of 
Tabernacles,  New  Year  and  the  Day  of 
Atonement.  These  festivals  were  intended 
as  special  holy  convocations  or  assemblies 
that  were  to  be  proclaimed  at  their  proper 
seasons.  There  were  no  doubt  weighty 
reasons  that  led  to  the  establishment  of  these 
festivals.  Some  of  the  reasons  have  been 
lost  or  become  obsolete  in  the  course  of  ages, 
but  some  are  still  of  enough  importance  to 
be  worthy  of  consideration  to-day. 

These  festivals,  especially  Passover,  Sha- 
buoth and  Succoth  were  originally  agricul- 
tural feasts  for  they  occur  simultaneously 
with  the  harvests ;  Passover  with  that  of  the 

97 


first  ripe  corn;  Shabuoth  with  that  of  the 
first  ripe  fruits  and  Succoth  with  the  general 
fall  harvests.  It  seems  quite  natural  and 
reasonable  for  an  agricultural  people  to  have 
observed  some  kind  of  a  religious  festival 
in  connection  with  their  harvests  for  the  peo- 
ple depended  for  food  and  other  necessities 
of  life  upon  these  harvests.  They  would 
naturally  rejoice  and  express  their  gratitude 
to  God  at  such  seasons.  And  a  commercial 
people  might  still  with  propriety,  as  well 
as  sentiment,  observe  such  harvest  festivals, 
for  though  they  are  not  engaged  in  agricul- 
ture or  in  cattle  raising,  they  depend  for 
food  as  well  as  for  the  sale  of  their  manufac- 
tured products  upon  the  soil  and  the  farmer. 
Hence  they  too  may  well  observe  the  harvest 
fastivals  as  seasons  of  rejoicing  and  thanks- 
giving. 

But  the  origin  and  idea  of  religious  festi- 
vals lies  in  human  nature  rather  than  in  the 
harvest.  The  latter  only  fixes  the  time  or 
season  of  the  festival;  the  former  furnishes 
the  motive  underlying  all  religious  public 
services,  Sabbath  and  festivals,  namely  the 
fact,  that  religion  is  not  merely  an  individual 

98 


or  private  matter,  but  also  a  social  or  public 
function.  If  every  man  lived  for  and  by  him- 
self he  might  be  led  to  express  his  gratitude 
to  God  for  life  and  sustenance  only  for  him- 
self. But  as  the  head  of  a  family,  as  a  mem- 
ber of  society,  the  religious  consciousness  of 
the  individual  grows  larger  and  deeper.  He 
is  grateful  to  God  for  the  blessings  of  home, 
of  society,  and  he  beseeches  God  to  bestow 
divine  grace  on  his  home,  society  and  the 
world.  Believing,  as  we  do,  that  the  answer 
to  prayer  and  the  benefit  of  worship  is  sub- 
jective and  not  objective,  it  becomes  neces- 
sary for  those  for  whose  benefit  the  prayers 
are  offered  to  be  cognizant  thereof  or  to  be 
present.  Therefore,  in  ancient  times,  when 
sacrifices  were  still  in  vogue,  it  was  custom- 
ary for  people  to  bring  their  own  sacrifices 
to  the  Altar.  "They  should  not  come  empty 
before  the  Lord"  (Deut.  XVI.  10.)  Those 
who  had  no  large  animal  should  bring  a  small 
one  and  even  a  little  flower  carried  in  the 
hand  would  suffice.  The  idea  here  is  that 
the  spirit  of  devotion,  the  sincerity  of  the 
heart  is  more  important  than  sacrifice.  The 
sincere  coming  to  the  altar  was  the  principal 

99 


thing  and  brought  results.  The  mingling  in 
worship  with  others  was  the  important  act. 

The  chief  and  most  significant  factor  con- 
nected with  public  worship  on  Sabbath  and 
Festivals  is  the  benefit  of  common  worship. 
If  to  pray  to  God  alone  is  beneficial,  to  pray 
to  him  collectively  is  of  greater  spiritual 
value.  The  psychology  of  public  worship 
has  never  been  fully  recognized  by  those  who 
content  themselves  with  private  worship. 
Nor  is  the  psychology  of  private  worship 
fully  recognized  by  even  them.  The  more 
sincere  and  intensive  is  the  devotion  of  the 
individual  in  private,  the  more  will  he  be 
impelled  to  join  his  fellow-devotees  in  the 
synagogue.  The  normal  religious  instinct  is 
also  social  in  character.  One  who  loves  God 
desires  his  fellow-men  to  love  God.  He  who 
worships  God  is  willing  to  proclaim  that 
worship  publicly.  A  devotee  of  God  loves 
his  fellowmen  and  his  co-religionists  and  can 
not  be  absent  from  a  public  demonstration 
in  behalf  of  his  God,  of  his  religion  and  his 
people. 

And  then  comes  the  spiritual  effect.  In 
common  worship  devotion  is  intensified.  The 

100 


focusing  of  many  minds  upon  the  same  God 
in  an  act  of  prayer  increases  the  ardor  and 
enthusiasm  and  hence  the  intensity  of  devo- 
tion, and  thus  the  sanctification  and  conse- 
cration of  the  soul  to  higher  ideals  are  deep- 
ened. Add  to  this  the  effect  of  a  temple 
dedicated  to  the  worship  of  God,  a  prepared 
ritual,  impressively  rendered  with  appropri- 
ate sacred  music  and  song,  and  there  must 
result  an  inspiration  which  is  helpful  and 
lasting.  Because  in  ancient  times  it  was  im- 
practical for  an  agricultural  people  to  have 
large  temples  in  various  parts  of  Palestine, 
it  was  ordained  that  the  people,  at  least  the 
men,  should  go  thrice  a  year  to  Jerusalem 
to  appear  before  the  Lord  in  His  holy  place. 
The  lawgiver  who  enacted  that  law  under- 
stood the  psychology  of  public  worship  and 
there  is  no  doubt  that  these  religious  pil- 
grimages had  a  great  moral  and  spiritual  ef- 
fect on  the  people.  The  men  returned  to 
their  homes,  renewed  in  spirit,  uplifted  and 
encouraged.  They  returned  to  their  tasks 
with  greater  zeal  and  ambition.  They  were 
enabled  to  inspire  their  families  with  the 
hallowed  spirit  they  had  received  at  Jeru- 
101 


salem.  Besides,  these  periodical  gatherings 
of  the  people  in  the  holy  city  aided  to  unify 
them  and  to  keep  alive  the  consciousness  of 
Israel's  solidarity. 

But  the  festivals  have  in  times  past  been 
even  of  greater  service  to  Israel  and  Juda- 
ism. They  not  only  tended  to  preserve  the 
Jewish  consciousness  and  the  enthusiasm  of 
public  worship,  but  also  to  preserve  in  the 
minds  of  people  the  principal  teachings  of 
Israel's  faith  and  history. 

In  brief,  Passover  commemorates  the 
liberation  of  Israel  from  Egyptian  bondage ; 
Shabuoth,  the  giving  of  the  Law  at  Mt. 
Sinai,  the  birth  of  the  nation  and  its  organ- 
ized religion;  Tabernacles,  the  preservation 
of  Israel  through  its  sojourn  in  tents  dur- 
ing the  hardships  of  the  desert.  In  addition 
Purim  and  Hanukkah  teach  the  preserva- 
tion of  Israel  through  the  spirit  of  martyr- 
dom. 

We  can  not  too  highly  value  the  great 
benefits  that  these  historic  revelations  of  the 
festivals  have  had  upon  Israel  in  times  past. 
They  have  periodically  reminded  the  people 
of  their  origin,  their  development,  their  great 

102 


leaders  and  teachers,  the  sacrifices  that  their 
heroes  and  martyrs  have  made  for  the  sake 
of  their  conviction. 

Often  when  Israel  was  persecuted  the  sea- 
son of  Passover  came  in  the  nick  of  time  to 
bring  a  new  inspiration  of  freedom,  or  Ha- 
nukkah  would  reveal  the  fighting  spirit  of 
the  Maccabees  and  put  new  courage  and  a 
new  heart  into  suffering  Israel. 

These  historic  festivals  reveal  the  fact, 
that  Israel  is  not  an  isolated  insignificant 
and  negligible  people  nor  an  impotent,  dying 
people,  but  on  the  contrary  a  great,  worthy, 
strong,  fighting  people,  battling  not  for  con- 
quest, territory  or  aggrandisement,  but  for 
ideals,  convictions,  principles,  namely,  for 
truth,  righteousness,  love  and  peace. 

We  have  every  reason  to  feel  proud  of  Is- 
rael's history  and  literature,  of  Israel's 
heroes  and  martyrs,  of  its  achievements  in 
peace  and  war.  We  can  all  share  the  an- 
swer, that  Disraeli  gave  in  Parliament  when 
he  was  taunted  with  a  slur  upon  his  Hebrew 
origin.  "Yes,"  said  he,  "I  am  of  Hebrew 
origin,  but  let  me  remind  the  gentleman,  that 
when  his  ancestors  were  still  barbarians, 

103 


mine  were  kings  and  priests  and  prophets, 
forebears  of  modern  civilization/'  The  fes- 
tivals will  teach  us  that  Israel  was  never 
recreant  to  its  God,  its  faith,  even  in  the 
darkest  hour ;  that  it  was  patriotic  and  loyal, 
humanitarian  and  peace  loving.  These 
teachings  of  the  festivals  have  helped  to  pre- 
serve Israel. 

But  the  festivals  have  even  a  greater  value 
for  Israel  and  Judaism  in  the  spiritual  and 
religious  principles  they  represent.  Pass- 
over teaches  the  principle  of  liberty;  Sha- 
buoth,  the  value  of  law;  Tabernacles  the 
duty  of  thanksgiving  and  rejoicing;  New 
Year,  the  worth  of  a  new  beginning  for  the 
spiritual  life;  the  Day  of  Atonement,  the 
blessing  of  purity  and  reconciliation.  Thus 
the  ethical  aspect  of  Judaism  is  presented 
by  its  festivals  and  holy  days,  through  the 
teachings  of  Liberty,,  Law,  Gratitude,  Re- 
formation, Reconciliation. 

Analyze  all  the  religions  of  the  world  and 
you  will  find  in  none  a  series  of  festivals  that 
inculcate  in  five  terms  the  greatest  teachings 
of  religion  and  civilization,  the  basic  princi- 
ples for  the  redemption  of  mankind. 

104 


Judaism  still  lives,  despite  all  criticism  and 
ridicule  of  its  doctrines,  despite  apostacy  and 
materialism,  despite  dissension  and  differ- 
ences as  to  creeds,  Bible,  forms  and  cere- 
monies amongst  its  own  devotees.  And 
Judaism  has  survived,  because  the  Sabbath 
and  the  important  festivals  have  survived. 
As  long  as  the  Sabbath  and  the  Festivals 
are  kept,  so  long  will  Judaism  live.  And 
as  long  as  Judaism  lives,  so  long  will  Israel 
live.  Israel's  future  depends  on  Judaism 
and  Judaism's  future  depends  on  the  Sab- 
bath and  the  festivals;  on  the  Sabbath,  be- 
cause it  is  the  link  between  God  and  Israel; 
on  the  festivals,  because  they  preserve  the 
memory  of  Israel's  history  and  all  that  that 
history  teaches  of  Israel's  glory,  its  heroes, 
martyrs,  patriotism  and  literature,  on  the 
Sabbath  and  festivals,  because  they  incor- 
porate and  inculcate  public  worship  as  well 
as  the  essential  ethical  teachings  of  Liberty, 
Law,  Gratitude,  Reformation  and  Recon- 
ciliation of  Truth,  Justice,  Righteousness, 
Love  and  Peace. 

If  we  are  in  earnest  with  the  Renaissance 
of  Judaism,  then  it  becomes  imperative  to 

105 


re-institute  observance  of  the  festivals.  The 
ancient  command  "These  are  the  festivals  of 
God,  even  holy  convocations  which  you  shall 
proclaim  in  their  seasons"  is  enjoined  upon 
our  modern  congregations.  What  is  the  pur- 
pose of  a  congregation,  if  it  does  not  include 
in  its  program  the  observance  of  the  festi- 
vals ? 

But  that  is  where  most  of  our  modern  con- 
gregations fail.  They  have  no  program. 
They  merely  exist,  they  vegetate,  like  so 
many  individuals.  They  have  no  definite 
aim,  they  strive  for  no  results,  and  naturally 
they  achieve  none. 

If  a  program  were  formulated,  it  should 
include  not  only  observance  of  the  Sabbaths, 
but  also  of  the  festivals.  In  these  times  when 
it  is  difficult  for  many ;  when  it  is  almost  im- 
possible for  some  to  observe  the  Sabbath, 
it  is  desirable  to  create  enthusiasm  at  least 
for  the  festivals,  for  those  five  important 
holy  convocations  of  which  we  have  spoken. 

At  present  many  confine  their  attendance 
at  public  worship  to  one  hour  on  the  Day  of 
Atonement.  That  is  no  worship  at  all,  and 
instead  of  commendation,  deserves  the  sever- 

106 


est  censure.  To  attend  public  worship  one 
hour  in  the  year  indicates  no  religious  spirit 
whatsoever,  and  is  of  practically  little,  if  any 
benefit  to  the  individual  or  the  house  of 
Israel.  It  may  satisfy  some  hidden  senti- 
ment. The  least  that  any  Jew  who  does  not 
keep  the  Sabbath  should  do  is  to  observe  the 
five  principal  festivals,  for  they  have  a  spir- 
itual, ethical  and  inspirational  value. 

Those  festivals  are  like  stations  on  the 
road  leading  to  some  destination,  stations 
where  one  can  refresh  himself  and  rest  be- 
fore going  further.  In  religion  they  serve 
to  check  a  tendency  to  spiritual  apathy  and 
indifference;  they  have  a  direct  bearing  on 
the  life  and  spiritual  striving  of  the  indi- 
vidual. They  have  a  deep  spiritualizing  in- 
fluence on  the  Jewish  home.  The  festivals 
especially  were  home  feasts.  Who  can  for- 
get the  Seder  service  on  the  first  night  of 
Passover  when  the  father  led  in  the  reading 
of  the  Hagadah  of  which  various  members 
of  the  family  read  portions?  Who  can  for- 
get the  home  festivity  of  Shabuoth,  espe- 
cially if  a  child  of  the  family  was  confirmed. 
Who  can  forget  the  family  celebration  of 

107 


the  Feast  of  Tabernacles,  or  the  sanctity  of 
the  home  on  New  Year  or  the  Day  of  Atone- 
ment? Who  can  forget  the  joys  and  de- 
lights of  Purim  and  Hanukkah  celebrations 
in  the  Jewish  home  of  former  generations? 

Often  we  have  heard  of  late  years,  that  we 
have  no  festival  like  Christmas.  But  this  is 
an  erroneous  impression.  All  the  Jewish 
festivals  are  essentially  home  festivals  and 
are  associated  with  such  beautiful  and  in- 
spiring ceremonies  and  customs  as  tend  to 
deepen  the  devotion,  increase  spiritual  joy 
and  unite  the  family  in  love  and  peace. 

If  the  festivals,  with  their  attendant  cere- 
monies in  the  home,  the  school  and  the  syna- 
gogue, could  only  be  revived  throughout  Is- 
rael, what  a  wonderful  renaissance  of  Juda- 
ism they  would  create !  The  Sabbath  lights, 
the  Passover,  the  Seder  Service,  the  Confir- 
mants'  festivity  in  ths  home  on  Shabuoth, 
the  New  Year's  greetings,  the  breaking  of 
the  fast  on  Yom  Kippur  in  the  home,  the 
masks  and  merriment  of  Purim,  the  Hanuk- 
kah lights,  with  all  their  songs  and  sanctifi- 
cation,  with  their  good  cheer  and  hospitality, 
with  all  their  love  and  charity  would  move 

108 


the  hearts  of  Israel,  unite  parents  and  chil- 
dren, give  to  Judaism  a  new  life  and  to  Is- 
rael a  new  hope. 

Well  then  Emanu-El!  Are  you  con- 
vinced? If  so,  let  us  write  into  the  Consti- 
tion  of  this  Congregation  the  ancient  com- 
mand, "These  are  the  festivals  of  the  Lord, 
even  holy  convocations  which  ye  shall  pro- 
claim in  their  seasons."  Yes,  proclaim  them 
and  keep  them  in  the  synagogue,  in  the 
school  and  in  the  home,  and  thus  contribute 
to  the  revival  of  our  ancient  faith. 


109 


REVIVAL  OF  JEWISH  IDEALISM 

And  God  said  unto  Elijah,  "Go  and  stand  on  the  moun- 
tain before  the  Lord." 

(Kings  XIX,  11.) 

Elijah  is  one  of  the  greatest  characters  of 
the  Bible,  a  child  of  nature,  a  man  inspired 
of  God.  He  was  a  prophet  who  feasted 
upon  great  ideals,  whose  life  was  devoid  of 
every  taint  of  materialism  or  commercial- 
ism, even  of  the  ordinary  precautions  that 
actuate  most  men.  His  greatest  mission  con- 
sisted in  battling  against  idolatry  and  hea- 
thenism and  in  drawing  the  people  away 
from  a  sordid  existence  to  a  nobler  and 
higher  life.  He  was  an  indefatigable  cham- 
pion of  idealism  and  an  uncompromising  op- 
ponent of  all  the  gross  materialism  of  his  day, 
whether  he  found  it  in  high  or  low  places. 
He  was  the  friend  of  truth  and  righteousness 
and  the  inveterate  foe  of  all  hypocrisy  and 
evil.  He  was  a  giant  in  spiritual  strength, 

in 


a  bulwark  of  rectitude,  invulnerable  in  every 
contest  for  truth,  right  and  justice.  Yet 
notwithstanding  all  his  energy,  long  suffer- 
ing, patience,  perseverance  and  buoyancy, 
he  finally  succumbed  under  the  many  dis- 
appointments that  fell  to  his  lot;  gave  up 
the  good  fight  for  idealism  and  withdrawing 
from  the  world  of  activity,  strife,  turmoil 
and  vexation,  hid  himself  in  a  cave.  Here  in 
obscurity  he  would  rest,  secure  from  all  the 
corruption  of  the  world  and  all  its  mean  and 
unworthy  motives  that  his  heart  abhorred. 
Here  he  would  be  free  from  the  dangers  that 
threatened  him  in  the  city  and  from  the  cruel 
fate  that  had  overtaken  his  colleagues.  We 
can  infer  all  this  from  the  anguish  of  soul 
that  he  expressed  in  his  reply  to  the  reproach 
of  God,  "What  doest  thou  here,  Elijah." 
In  the  intense  grief  at  his  bitter  disappoint- 
ment, he  cries  out,  "I  have  been  very  zealous 
for  the  Lord,  the  God  of  hosts ;  for  the  chil- 
dren of  Israel  have  forsaken  Thy  covenant, 
thrown  down  Thine  altars  and  slain  Thy 
prophets  with  the  sword  and  I,  even  I  alone 
am  left  and  they  seek  my  life  to  take  it 
away."  (Kings  XIX.  9  and  10.) 

112 


Then  followed  the  order  from  heaven,  "Go 
forth  and  stand  upon  the  mountain  before 
the  Lord."  Elijah  obeyed  and  beheld  that 
wonderful  vision  of  storm,  wind,  earthquake 
and  fire,  and  learned  that  God  was  not  in 
the  wind,  the  earthquake  or  fire  that  destroy, 
but  in  the  still  small  voice  that  is  forever 
building  the  universe  and  making  for  right- 
eousness. 

I  interpret  the  command,  "stand  upon  the 
mountain  before  the  Lord,"  and  the  vision 
that  followed,  to  mean,  that  Elijah  was  not 
to  be  discouraged;  that  he  was  to  leave  the 
valley  of  materialism,  the  lower  planes  of 
sordid  conflict  and  go  up  to  the  mountain 
top  of  Idealism,  to  stand  before  the  Lord 
and  follow  the  still  small  voice  of  God,  the 
dictate  of  conscience,  the  promptings  of  the 
better  nature  of  man  that  lead  always  up- 
ward and  onward  to  the  highest  goal. 

We  all  have  need  of  ideals  to  reconcile  us 
to  the  many  disappointments  of  life.  Ideals 
are  the  buoys  that  keep  us  afloat  upon  the 
tempestuous  seas  of  earthly  existence  until 
some  unexpected  help  from  without  or 
within  us  comes  to  our  rescue.  Ideals  are 

113 


the  standards  of  excellence  that  we  have  set 
for  ourselves  in  character,  success  or  hap- 
piness. They  give  a  lofty  purpose  to  life, 
direct  and  stimulate  ambition  and  pride  and 
fortify  us  against  the  trials  and  vexations 
that  beset  our  paths. 

But  the  greatest  value  of  ideals  is  to  be 
found  in  the  fact,  that  they  constitute  the 
mainspring  of  permanent  progress.  Those, 
of  whose  soul  idealism  has  taken  possession, 
do  not  rest  content  with  the  realization 
of  any  one  goal.  Every  gain  is  to  them  but 
a  stepping  stone  to  another.  An  ideal  real- 
ized creates  in  turn  another  ideal.  There  is 
no  limit  to  progress  in  the  realm  of  idealism. 

The  same  principle  obtains  in  nations. 
Ideals  create  them  and  keep  them  alive. 
When  nations  cease  to  be  actuated  by  lofty 
and  sublime  purposes,  they  degenerate,  as 
do  individuals,  into  selfish,  pleasure  or  power 
loving  entities  that  in  time  lead  to  their  de- 
struction. Many  nations  have  foundered 
on  that  rock.  The  Empires  of  Alexander 
and  Napoleon  are  examples  of  the  destruc- 
tive influences  of  a  national  loss  of  idealism. 
Germany  of  to-day  has  built  up  a  Franken- 

114 


stein  in  her  militarism  which  is  destined  to 
be  her  undoing.  The  greatest  nations  of  the 
world  to-day,  America,  England,  France, 
Italy  and  Belgium  are  actuated  by  an  ideal- 
ism for  the  benefit  of  humanity  that  will 
make  them  supreme. 

Religions  are  subject  to  the  same  life-giv- 
ing principle  as  are  individuals  and  nations. 
Religions,  it  may  properly  be  said,  depend 
for  their  origin  and  progress  on  some  high 
ideal  which,  embodied  in  a  creed,  in  laws 
rituals  and  ceremonies,  becomes  so  deeply 
rooted  in  the  thoughts,  feelings  and  prac- 
tices of  a  people  as  to  excell  all  other  pur- 
poses in  popularity  and  influence.  And  the 
very  life  of  a  religion  depends  upon  the 
vitality  of  its  visions  or  rather  upon  the 
preservation  of  the  spirit  of  idealism  which 
constantly  looks  forward  to  a  higher  goal 
of  excellence.  A  religion,  even  as  a  nation 
or  an  individual,  can  not  afford  to  rest  con- 
tent with  any  material  achievement.  Many 
religions,  just  as  nations,  have  died  because 
they  lost  their  lofty  outlook  of  spiritual 
progress.  The  mythologies  of  the  ancient 
Greeks  and  Romans  for  centuries  swayed 

115 


men's  beliefs  and  hopes;  idolatry  and  poly- 
theism have  had  their  days  of  glory  and  in- 
fluence. But  they  died  in  the  grip  of  ma- 
terial degeneracy. 

Judaism  succeeded  in  impressing  itself 
upon  men's  minds  and  in  rising  superior  to 
the  sordid  religions  of  antiquity  because  of 
its  singular  and  superior  idealism  founded 
upon  the  holiness  of  God  and  looking  to  the 
perfection  of  man.  In  any  discussion  of  the 
origin  and  permanence  of  Judaism,  this 
basic  fact  must  not  be  overlooked,  that  ideal- 
ism is  its  distinct  and  distinguishing  char- 
acteristic. In  Judaism  par  excellence  all  ma- 
terial forms,  rituals  and  rites  are  secondary 
to  its  ideal  of  human  perfection.  Judaism 
is  an  interpretation  of  life  and  must  there- 
fore be  as  broad,  as  comprehensive  as  life 
itself.  It  cannot  be  narrowly  dogmatic;  it 
must  be  broadly  progressive,  even  "elastic" 
as  has  been  facetiously  remarked  by  a  cap- 
tious critic.  Judaism  is  an  outgrowth  of  the 
needs  of  human  nature  and  must  constantly 
correspond  to  those  needs.  Whilst  forms, 
ceremonies,  institutions  may  become  obso- 
lete, Judaism  remains  ever  new.  As  long 

116 


as  men  live,  as  long  as  life  lasts,  as  long  as 
the  soul  has  aspirations  toward  better  things, 
so  long  will  Judaism  remain,  because  it  rep- 
resents those  aspirations. 

It  is  therefore  possible  to  trace  Judaism 
back  through  more  than  three  thousand 
years  of  history,  through  the  simple  faith  of 
the  Patriarchs,  the  complicated  Levitical 
Cult  of  the  Mosaic  Code,  the  Temple  rites 
of  the  ancient  priesthood,  the  humanitarian- 
ism  of  the  prophets,  the  legalism,  to  wit, 
rigid  ceremonialism  of  the  Talmudic  period, 
down  to  the  Reforms  of  our  own  day  and 
to  find,  notwithstanding  innumerable 
changes  and  innovations  of  forms,  the  same 
historic  Judaism,  the  same  philosophy  of 
the  Universe  and  God,  of  life  and  man.  In 
short,  Jewish  Idealism,  the  very  heart  of 
our  religion,  has  maintained  Judaism 
through  three  thousand  years  of  develop- 
ment, with  all  its  changes,  destructive  ten- 
dencies and  internal  crises. 

And  this  idealism  has  maintained  Israel 
despite  persecution,  discrimination,  oppres- 
sion and  dismemberment.  Israel  survived 
dissension  in  its  ancient  kingdom,  the  woes 

117 


and  strifes  between  divided  kingdoms,  Baby- 
lonian Exile  and  later  its  precarious  exist- 
ence under  various  forms  of  government. 
Israel  survived  because,  whilst  other  peoples 
fought  for  territory,  commercial,  industrial 
and  political  power,  Israel  was  buoyed  up 
by  the  hope  of  realizing  its  idealism  for  man 
and  mankind.  Israel  was  sustained  by  the 
principle  underlying  the  words  of  Scripture, 
"not  by  might  and  not  by  power  4  but  by 
spirit  saith  the  Lord." 

Israel  had  heard  and  obeyed  the  word  of 
God  spoken  to  Elijah,  "Go  forth  and  stand 
on  the  mountain  before  the  Lord."  In  the 
realm  of  idealism  there  is  no  defeat.  He 
whose  only  aspiration  is  for  the  best,  the 
highest,  the  purest,  the  noblest,  is  never  lost. 
Disappointment  may  come  even  to  ideal- 
ists, but  it  acts  only  as  a  spur  to  great  effort. 
That  is  the  very  nature  of  an  ideal,  that  it  is 
invincible.  You  may  destroy  property,  kill 
people,  but  the  ideal  will  live.  In  the  pres- 
ent war,  brute  force  may  destroy  life  and  all 
material  things,  but  when  the  smoke  of  battle 
is  cleared  away,  then  will  arise,  phoenix-like 
from  the  embers  of  destruction,  a  new  world 

118 


based  on  justice  and  humanity,  liberty, 
equality  and  fraternity  for  all  mankind. 

Israel  has  died  a  thousand  deaths,  but  its 
Idealism  has  survived.  No  sword  thrust  or 
shell  can  pierce  an  idea  or  an  ideal.  The 
thunder  of  Sinai  is  heard  above  the  carnage 
of  battle.  While  Jerusalem  was  in  flames, 
a  Rabbi  built  a  school  at  Jamnia  and  planted 
anew  the  ideals  of  Israel.  And  so  in  every 
city  and  hamlet  of  the  world,  where  a  Jewish 
family  took  root,  it  planted  its  ideal  and 
built  a  school  and  synagogue  around  it. 

But  the  world's  materialism  grew  apace  at 
the  same  time  and  many  people  became  en- 
grossed by  worldly  interest  and  were  swept 
away  from  the  moorings  of  a  higher  spiritual 
life.  No  need  specifically  to  analyze  the 
momentous  crisis  of  religion.  Materialism  is 
the  world's  greatest  menace.  It  is  sapping 
all  that  is  sweet  and  pure  and  dear  to  life, 
all  its  nobler  sentiments,  its  chivalry,  its  gen- 
erous and  almost  prodigal  unselfishness. 
Men  have  become  centered  in  themselves  to 
such  a  degree  as  to  forget  the  world  and 
God. 

Judaism  has   suffered  in  common   with 

119 


other  religions  from  this  universal  evil. 
Many  Jews  have  been  enticed  from  the  faith 
by  the  love  of  worldly  interests.  They  have 
descended  into  the  valley  of  material  temp- 
tations are  revelling  in  power,  pleasure 
and  plenty,  deaf  to  every  higher  prompting 
of  the  soul.  Therefore  the  Synagogues  are 
depleted  whilst  men  gather  in  their  busi- 
nesses or  clubs  to  follow  a  lower  impulse 
than  their  faith  would  dictate.  Therefore 
are  the  children  drifting  away  from  Israel's 
ancient  mourning. 

We  need  a  revival  of  Jewish  Idealism,  of 
that  idealism  that  made  Israel  proof  against 
the  allurements  of  the  worldly  call,  against 
the  pitfalls  of  irreligion,  skepticism  and  in- 
difference engendered  by  the  temptations  of 
gold,  glory  and  grandeur.  To  those  of  Is- 
rael who  sit  in  the  recesses  of  spiritual  gloom, 
may  there  come  the  word  of  God  that 
reached  Elijah  in  his  dark  cave,  "Go  forth 
and  stand  on  the  mountain  before  the  Lord." 
Get  thee  out  of  the  valley  of  materialism, 
out  of  the  lowlands  of  sordidness,  the 
marshes  of  sensual  desires,  and  stand  on 
the  heights  of  holiness,  honor  and  hope.  This 

120 


idealism  means  in  the  first  instance  to  "know 
thyself." 

The  materialism  of  the  day  has  blurred  a 
knowledge  of  the  real  self,  of  man's  soul, 
its  grandeur,  its  sublimity,  its  possibilities. 
The  soul  has  been  forgotten  and  overlooked 
in  the  mad  rush  for  wealth  and  pleasures. 
We  must  teach  men  again  to  know  them- 
selves, to  study  the  hidden  essence  of  life, 
that  they  may  realize  that  it  profiteth  noth- 
ing to  a  man  to  gain  the  world,  if  he  lose  his 
own  soul.  To  think  lofty  thoughts,  to  feel 
nobly,  deeply,  to  peer  into  the  recesses  of  the 
human  heart,  to  draw  from  the  wells  of 
human  nature  all  that  is  pure  and  good,  that 
is  to  live,  to  develop,  to  grow,  to  be  happy ;  it 
means  to  voice  the  prayer  of  the  Scripture 
"Create  in  me  a  pure  heart  and  renew  a  right 
spirit  within  me." 

A  true  self-knowledge  will  open  up  to  us 
the  next  stage  of  Jewish  Idealism,  that  is, 
to  know  our  fellowmen,  to  comprehend  and 
rightly  practice  the  command,  "Thou  shalt 
love  thy  fellowman  as  thyself."  Material- 
ism has  bred  selfishness,  and  selfishness  has 
led  to  cruelty  and  violence,  the  logical  and 

121 


bitter  consequence  of  which  has  been  war, 
relentless,  uncompromising  war.  When  men 
have  looked  into  their  deeper  inward  nature 
and  redeemed  themselves  from  every  brutish 
taint,  then  will  they  be  ready  to  treat  their 
fellowmen  on  the  basis  of  equality  and 
equity.  Then  will  they  truly  understand 
and  follow  the  words  of  the  prophet:  "He 
hath  told  thee,  O  man,  what  is  good,  what 
the  Lord  requires  of  thee,  but  to  do  justice, 
to  love  mercy  and  to  walk  humbly  with  thy 
God."  Standing  on  such  a  spiritual  height, 
men  will  lose  all  hatred  toward  their  fellow- 
men,  will  turn  swords  into  plowshares, 
spears  into  pruning  hooks,  battle  ships  into 
merchant  vessels,  forts  and  arsenals  into 
school  houses  and  exchange  the  arts  of  war 
for  the  arts  of  universal  peace. 

Jewish  Idealism  implied  in  the  text 
"Stand  upon  the  mountain  before  the  Lord," 
indicates  further  that  we  should  teach  men  to 
know  the  universe.  Those  who  grovel  in 
the  valley  never  see  the  universe.  Only  on 
the  mountain  does  the  whole  panorama  of 
nature  burst  upon  the  view  and  reveal  the 
great  mysteries  that  God  has  wrought.  The 

122 


materialism  of  the  day  has  drawn  men  away 
from  a  contemplation  of  nature  and  created 
an  artificial  life  from  which  the  great  uni- 
verse is  shut  out.  No  wonder  they  know  not 
God,  when  they  know  not  his  handiwork. 
You  can  not  find  God  in  a  gambling  den  or 
in  the  graft  processes  of  unfair  competition. 

The  ancients  were  naturalists,  though  they 
possessed  less  scientific  knowledge  than  is 
at  our  disposal  to-day.  They  knew  the  uni- 
verse at  first  hand,  because  they  came  into 
direct  contact  with  the  soil  and  felt  their  de- 
pendence upon  the  elements.  Therefore  the 
Psalmist  could  voice  the  sentiment  contained 
in  the  words  "The  Heavens  declare  the  glory 
of  God,  and  the  firmament  tells  of  His  han- 
diwork." 

We  must  teach  men  again  to  become  stu- 
dents of  nature,  to  read  the  revelations  God 
has  written  in  the  twinkling  stars,  in  His 
footprints  on  the  eternal  sands,  and  in  His 
insignia  on  the  everlasting  rocks.  Then  men 
will  stand  again  on  the  heights  between 
heaven  and  earth,  will  marvel  again  at  the 
riddle  of  the  universe,  will  try  to  compre- 
hend the  permanent  Sphinx.  Then  will  they 

123 


be  lifted  out  of  their  crass  ignorance  and  be 
edified  by  a  spiritual  illumination  akin  to 
wisdom. 

Jewish  idealism  means  finally,  that  we 
must  teach  the  world  to  know  God.  "To 
stand  on  the  mountain  before  the  Lord"  sig- 
nifies nothing  less  than  through  the  knowl- 
edge of  self,  that  is,  of  the  human  soul,  and 
the  knowledge  of  our  f  ellowmen  and  the  Uni- 
verse, to  rise  to  a  knowledge  of  God.  The 
idealist  appreciates  the  smallness  of  man  and 
the  greatness  of  Deity,  He  rises  through 
knowledge  and  purity  to  an  understanding 
of  divinity.  But  the  idealist  goes  further 
and  comprehends  somewhat  of  the  greatness 
of  man,  of  his  spiritual  possibilities  when  he 
discovers  his  relation  to  God ;  when,  standing 
on  the  mountain  before  the  Lord,  he  beholds 
his  Creator,  the  Infinite  One  in  whose  image 
he,  the  finite,  was  fashioned.  To  stand  be- 
fore God  is  to  be  cognizant  each  day,  each 
hour,  that  there  we  are  in  the  presence  of  His 
Majesty,  the  King  of  Kings,  and  that  we 
must  so  conduct  ourselves  as  to  be  worthy 
of  standing  in  His  presence  (cf.  Ps.  34). 

We  need  the  revival  of  such  an  Idealism 

124 


that  will  cut  to  the  very  core  of  the  evils  that 
beset  Judaism,  namely,  materialism.  Let 
Israel,  like  Elijah,  come  forth  out  of  the 
valley  of  unworthy  thoughts  and  purposes, 
even  of  despair,  and  rise  to  the  heights  of 
wisdom,  purity  and  possible  perfection. 

The  mission  of  Israel  is  not  lost.  Only 
those  individuals  and  peoples  have  no  mis- 
sion who  have  lost  their  ideals.  Israel  must 
and  will  redeem  itself,  must  and  will  retain 
its  ancient  purpose  to  be  a  priest  people,  to 
learn  the  law  of  God  in  order  to  practice  and 
to  teach  it  to  mankind ;  to  establish  its  ideals 
of  self-knowledge,  of  a  knowledge  of  man, 
of  the  universe  and  of  God  and  thus  to  stand 
always  on  the  supreme  heights  before  the 
Lord. 


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